starter draw

Just installed 4th starter in 6 weeks. It seems that the starter will not fully engage the starter ring gear consistently. There is alot of free spinning and grinding on the starter ring gear. The last starter lasted about 4 weeks, then it began to act up in the mornings (about mid 40's) I would try 4 or 5 times then starter will engage and motor will start.

I have read where corroded cables will not allow the full amount of amps to the starter and fry the starter.? I have checked all exposed areas of the cables and have not found anything.

My question is what kind of numbers should expect to see at the positive stud on the starter (1500 amps= 2 750 amp batts)? Or am I going in the wrong direction here?


Edit: 4th starter in and every other attempt at starting and it is still grinding on starter ring.

When it engages does it crank at a normal speed? If it does I would say the cables are not really suspect. How do the teeth look on the flexplate? Are you using the exact same parts house starter?

i have not inspected the teeth on the flex plate yet, in about 30 minutes I will be removing starter and doing just that. And yes the same parts house, i believe that i will be returning the starter and go else where for a new starter. As far as how fast it is cranking, the most recent starter sounds like a dog. The previous starter sounded good until it started acting up, but when it would fully engage it sounded good.

Edit: I am grabbing at straws here, that is why I had the question about the cables

Possible on cables/connections. (If the starter does not hit full speed out of the gate , it doesn't hit the end of the bendix just right.)

Keep us up to date on this one. I have some vauge ass recollection of there being a similar starter with a different tooth count. On the DB eletric site perhaps.

ok here is what I found out. same tooth count as the "original", found a couple few teeth that have ever so small burrs on the flywheel, which I do no believe is causing my problems, but who knows. I will be getting a triangle file tomorrow.

After that I guess I will pull the battery cables out and take the tape and wire looms off and recheck everything out?

well, here goes starter #5, new starter not a rebuild, just got it from a shop that sells and rebuilds starters.

Still have not heard if anyone knows what kind of amperage I should be seeing at the starter? Can't see why anything would change from the original starter that essentially fell apart, to now. Hopefully the ones I have been using were just crap and this solves the problem.

Keep posting once the new starter is in. I will try to help as best I can.

well the big ass gear reduction works flawlessly. should have known after the first went Tango Uniform, that it was the starter and not anything else that is involved in the starting system.

It sounds different from the little SD types, not sure yet if it spins much faster. I hope to hell that this does the trick. Now then, on Tuesday I will be going back to get some money back from the POS.

I appreciate y'all lestening to me whine and all of the suggestions helping me figure this thing out.


And i case anybody is interested the OEM worked fine until one of the long bolts that hold the starter together broke 35 miles from nearest town. But, with the help of a friend holding it together we got it started and back home.

Again thank you PSA brothers and sisters

Edit: ok, so I paid attnetion this time to the sound of the starter, it definitely spins faster and it sounds like it is doing it with much less effort.

Wether the other starters were burning up or just not engaging, it may still be a power issue. When an electric motor does not get the power needed it heats up quickly and can start losing power. This could have caused the other starters to not throw the bendix as hard as it needs and just grind. The gear reduced starter may not need the same current required by the standard starter. I have seen bad parts out of the box but 5 starters is too many not to check everything else. Hopefully you fixed it but you never really know. Remember that engines have certain positions where they stop. When this happens you get excessive wear in those spots on the flexplate that can cause problems especially after issues like you have had. Good luck!:toast:

:whs:

I would for sure check out the cables. Mine looked perfect. Stipped back about an inch or so of insulation and all I saw was green. It was the cross connection cable. Got a replacement from O'Reillys, they had to look in the book to get it. Cost 75 bucks, way bigger than the original and it fit perfectly.