Engine cranking slow

TNford · Jun 12, 2018

I?ve tried and tried to figure out what?s going on with my newly rebuilt ?66 5000 SOS diesel. It will just not crank fast enough to fire it up. I?ve
cleaned and made sure everything is ?bright and tight?. Had the starter checked out twice. New battery cables. Battery tests fine. I?ve got it
started a few times, but think I have a fuel delivery issue so it wouldn?t stay started. The stud on the side of the starter connected to the solenoid
will get HOT after only seconds of cranking...smoking hot. Everything I?ve read says it?s most likely a bad ground, but I just don?t see it. I?m
going to borrow a battery off a friends tractor tomorrow to see if that works, but thought I?d ask here ahead of time to see what y?all might think.

Destroked 450 · Jun 12, 2018

If that stud is getting hot that's where the connection problem is.
Take it apart there, clean the able end, clean the stud and put a NEW shiny nut on the stud.
I've had that issue with starters on semi's

Bern · Jun 12, 2018

Destroked is right - heat is caused by resistance to electrical flow (think electric heaters). Resistance to electrical flow causes slow cranking.

riveroadrat · Jun 13, 2018

I put copper washers on both sides of the cable and use a brass nut there. I also found that the factory cable from the solenoid to the starter is the best cable to use as both ends are soldered.
.

TNford · Jun 13, 2018

Alright, I can certainly believe that. Let me ask...there?s a
washer-looking sort of thing that is between the starter
housing and the jamb nut on this stud. I?m sure with the heat
that has been created it has to be the failure...what is that
washer made of? Rubber? Nylon?

Texasmark1 · Jun 13, 2018

+1 on that. Where it gets hot is where the resistance lies.

On the ground, I like to put the ground cable lug under one of the starter mounting bolts after I shined up the starter housing where it
would be mounted. If the lug mounts to the tractor main casting on the right side of the tractor, I have run a 00 wire from the battery
terminal on that side across to the left side to connect to that point and it has really made a difference. Most farm related parts houses, or
in my case OTR truck dealers, can make up cables for you.

sotxbill · Jun 13, 2018

the solenoid stud is often made of copper and very easy to strip out!!!!! :shock: Clean very good, use copper washers, and use double nuts to careful tighten and not strip out. You may have to have the starter shop replace the stud/solenoid to fix the problem. As others have said,, the hot spot is where there is a very high resistance, that creates heat, instead of cranking the starter.

Could also have to replace the cable end as it could be the problem at the stud. Most times the hole in the cable end is too large to really make a good connection on the stud and it further contributes to the problem. :twisted:

TNford · Jun 13, 2018

Here?s what I think is happening, hope I can explain it. From the solenoid to the side of the starter housing is a copper strap connected to a stud on each end. The stud on the starter is what is getting hot. There is a washer underneath the jamb nut against the starter housing. On top of the jamb nut is that copper strap and then a lock washer and nut on top of that. It is that washer that I think is melted/broken that is causing the short and the heat. My plan is to replace that washer. A friend said it is a bekelite washer that I should be able to get at Napa.

JMOR · Jun 13, 2018

(quoted from post at 11:03:40 06/13/18) Here?s what I think is happening, hope I can explain it. From the solenoid to the side of the starter housing is a copper strap connected to a stud on each end. The stud on the starter is what is getting hot. There is a washer underneath the jamb nut against the starter housing. On top of the jamb nut is that copper strap and then a lock washer and nut on top of that. It is that washer that I think is melted/broken that is causing the short and the heat. My plan is to replace that washer. A friend said it is a bekelite washer that I should be able to get at Napa.

oes not sound like the right place for an insulating washer to me.

Destroked 450 · Jun 13, 2018

Be careful, many times when the stud gets very hot it will weld the nut to the stub were as you'll twist the stud off trying to get the nut off.
The washer will be plastic or bakelite and insulated the stud from the starter case, there's two of those washer, one on the out side you can see and another on the inside to insulate that side on the stud from the case.
You may want to take the starter to a rebuilder for them to replace the washers and stud.

TNford · Jun 13, 2018

Thank you for that info! I will ?test? it before I put too much
torque on it.

hurleyjd · Jun 13, 2018

I think that I would go to the link and buy a new starter. Most shops will charge you at least the price of a new one to repair yours
starter

Larry NCKS · Jun 14, 2018

(quoted from post at 16:07:32 06/13/18) I think that I would go to the link and buy a new starter. Most shops will charge you at least the price of a new one to repair yours
starter

That may be true in your area. It certainly isn't in mine. I have a shop that will rebuild starters, generators and alternators a whole lot cheaper than I can buy replacements for . . . and when I get them back I know it's been done correctly.

showcrop · Jun 14, 2018

2X what destroked said. My auto electric shop will charge according to what they need to do to it, which can vary a lot.

Texasmark1 · Jun 14, 2018

Me neither. You ainta gonna conduct nuttin thru bakelike......it's a deliberate insulator.

Sean in PA · Jun 14, 2018

(quoted from post at 08:52:33 06/14/18) Me neither. You ainta gonna conduct nuttin thru bakelike......it's a deliberate insulator.

The bakelite is to isolate the stud for the hot wire from the case of the starter so you're not shorting your battery directly to ground. But there shouldn't be a bekelite washer on the outside. The bakelite should be a bushing that's installed from the inside with the stud going through it, and the bushing should extend out past the outer surface of the starter housing.

JMOR · Jun 14, 2018

I think the problem that at least some of have is related to which washer "that" refers to in, "It is that washer that I think is.....". Meaning that last washer mentioned or the washer before last. Just a little grammar error.

TNford · Jun 14, 2018

This does not describe what I saw last night when I took the
back off the starter to put new washers on it. There was no
washer or sleeve around the hot wire, it looked as if it were
soldered to the stud. I bought this starter a couple years ago
from a local guy that rebuilds starters and alternators .I may
look for one of those sleeves.

JMOR · Jun 14, 2018

(quoted from post at 12:45:01 06/14/18) This does not describe what I saw last night when I took the
back off the starter to put new washers on it. There was no
washer or sleeve around the hot wire, it looked as if it were
soldered to the stud. I bought this starter a couple years ago
from a local guy that rebuilds starters and alternators .I may
look for one of those sleeves.

he feed-thru insulator is a sleeve around the stud, not around a wire. Think of about a 1/4 inch long "drinking straw" only thicker, around the stud where it passes thru the barrel, then a fiber insulating washer on the outside of barrel, then flat washer, then nut, then cable terminal, lock washer, and finally nut. Sometimes the "straw" will be larger on the inside of barrel with a shoulder.

TNford · Jun 14, 2018

Gotcha, I will check that out after work.

Engine cranking slow

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