Pls Help, Slugish to start like weak battery but not.
 

Hello all, I was hoping to get some ideas before I start chasing my tail.

Its been in cold for here (teens at night) and my truck has been getting more slugish to start. I thought it was my old batteries giving up due to the cold. (that kind of weak start) but tonight I replaced both AND had the old ones checked and it STILL acts slugish, even when warm but everything operates fine once its running and it runs fine once it goes. I've been carrying a jump pack thinking it'd keep me from being stranded BUT now I know it wouldn't do any good since strong batteries do the same thing?

Has anyone had a starter act like this? Mine was replaced in 2007, I'm going to go check its connections and start there...if anyone has had anything similar please let me know what worked or you ruled out please.

I have never heard a starter get slugish...I've always just had them...quit or just click.

Thank you

JT

Just cold...oil is like molasses... lots of power needed to rotate that crank.

You plugging in the block heater?

Thats what I originally thought after the first cold night but I plugged it in the following nights as well each time it got slower and slower to turn over even if I tried to restart after just stopping while warm (like the battery was running down but the voltage was fine)

Just came inside from messing with it and now it won't even turn it over. Can a starter die like this? I got my wife to crank it while I had the voltmeter on the starter and it was 12v on the large Hot and when she engaged the key the small switched wire got 11.5v (I may have gotten to 12 I was at an odd angle and didn't get to let it stabilize. I'm going to chase the starter theory as of now. I pulled it off and will go pick up another in the morning.

But I'm open to more ideas.

My starter on my dually did exactly this about 2 years ago. Did the same thing as you, suspected weak batteries and replaced. Started replacing cables as well, but quit after on negative cable. I pulled the starter off to look at it. Brushes were wore right out, arc marks on the commutator ring as well. So take it off and have a look.

I also think it is the starter. Fostertruck.com sells brush kits for them if you can wait for it. My VW diesels do the same thing. In fact I have one now with this symtom.

Mine is doing the same thing, slow to turn over even with brand new batteries. I am just waiting for it to get worse before I go after the starter.

it took about 4 days of regular use before it didn't work at all.

I'm going to see if I can get an armature shop to see if its worth repairing before shelling out $225 for a new one or $175 for an autozone rebuilt one.

I would try everything to save the stock starter or alt. I don't trust the rebuilt ones. Take it to the electrical shop first.

Floyd

Great Minds. Just picked it up from the armature shop with new brushes, contacts and solenoid. for $80. It was a Bosch reman unit that was on it and they said that there were some shotty repairs and wire resoldering instead of replacing from being remanufactured so I know what you mean about trusting rebuilt ones? But its all fixed now.

(I trust this shop. I've used them quite a few times for alternators and electric motors and all have been great and they replace with stout parts when available) They have rewound some of my Alt's in my GM for higher Output when possible.