Friday I purchased a 1989 D250 at a lien sale which was sold as parts only.
They started the diesel with a lot of battery power so I could hear it run. It was delivered to my house on a flat bed with the engine running?
Parked it in my driveway because it has no current license.
When I tried to start it by jumping it with my 1990 D350 it would only turn over real slow and not start.
The battery cables got pretty hot.
Could the problem be a bad starter or the engine??
Started to take the starter off the engine, but could not get the 8 or 10 mm bolt off between the engine and starter with the breather tube, oil level dip stick,and two oil lines in the way? The other two bolts and two nuts are off.
HELP!!

 

That inside bolt is a royal pain but it sounds like it does need to be removed and the starter rebuilt. Don't trade it in though on a garbage auto parts store brand though. Contacts and plungers are available and in the end will be cheaper than a Mexico rebuild.

These starters, if original are built by NipponDenso so are first rate top quality.

Once removed the starter comes apart very easily, no surprises inside at all.

 

Hi Bruce! I use a long extension from below to take that bolt out. It does sound like the stater is dragging. I agree that if it is original, have it professionally remanufactured or do it yourself, either way is good. You will almost never find a part as good as the original...Mark

 

Mark,
The starter is listed as Chrysler-Cummins-Denso-made in Japan.
Bruce

 

You could help yourself by reinstalling the 2 bolts you removed first and removing the difficult one first. After the hard to reach one is out the last two are easy.

You will struggle with the last bolt being the hard to reach one as it will turn out sluggish the entire thread length and the starter will want to fall out at the same time.

It is also possible your battery cables are a source of your slow cranking issue.

 

I changed out the starter with the one from my 1990 D350 and found out the 1989 D250 still has the slow cranking problem with high amp draw? Have never had my jumper cables get hot like this.
A guy came by my house and when I told him were I purchased the truck, he said he would not trust the guy who sold it to me.
The diesel battery cables were not heating like the jumper cables?
Hope I can get the true information about the engine from the guy I purchased it from?
Do you guys have any ideas of what to check?
The engine sounds good once started.
Bruce

 

Bruce, as that replacement starter working well in the other truck? Try jumping directly to the starter with one of the battery jumper packs and see if it works like that. If not, it is probably the starter. Use both cables on ghe starter, ground to the starter case then tap the post on the solenoid to see what happens, good luck...Mark

 

Mark,
The starter I put in came off my 1990 which works good.
Connected 12 volts to the injector pump solenoid and a 12 volt push button switch to the starter solenoid from the jumper cable with nothing going through the ignition switch or rest of the truck. Still it turned over to slow to start the engine. I don't have a battery jumper pack.
They used a large battery jumper pack and jumper leads from a running truck battery to start it.
I tried to call you, but your incoming calls is full.
Bruce

 

Yeah, I don't clear it much , I am in Mexico anyway. I'll try to call you from my Mexican cellphone, but it will say it is from anywhere from Nebraska to Thailand, Go ahead and answer it, it's me...Mark .S. Maybe your battery is on its way out...

 

Thinking that the battery cable might be the problem, I connected the jumper cables direct to the starter and engine bypassing the cables.
It still is cranking slow.
At this point the problem has to be in the engine??
Any thoughts?

 

Hey Bruce, try removing the serpentine belt, maybe something up front is real locked up...Mark

 

Mark,
Went and talked to the guy I purchased it from.
He said that the engine was rebuilt a year ago and has less then 1000 miles on it.
He said it has a lot of torque and needs two 900 amp batteries to start it?
The oil fill pipe was off when they started it with a power pack and truck running battery.
Saw no smoke venting out of the missing oil fill tube.
Asked the Guy if the head had been milled.
Said that he did not know what was done to the engine.
I will have my son come over with his compression gauge to check each cylinder.
Should be able to turn the engine over with the injectors out and the compression gauge in one cylinder. (I hope)!
What else could I check??

 

Bruce, they might have been 2 900 CCA batteries, but they could have been weak and old. My FSM says 1150 CCA's for my 90. What I would do is make sure that you have at least that before you condemn anything else. Go buy a known good, at least 1150 CCA battery, connect it directly to the starter and try it. If what he said is true, you will more than recoup the cost of the battery when you sell it. An Interstate would probably cost less than 200 bucks. Here is one for $219.00:

https://www.batteriesexpressinc.com/...int-8d-xhd.htm ...Mark

 

Take the battery out and take it to an auto parts store to be load tested. If bad, replace it. If good, disconnect the serp belt as someone above suggested.

I suspect a bad battery. Your description indicates jumper cables that won't carry enough current to start this engine. Most won't. Unless you have a short home made pair with 00 or larger wire, yours are in that class.

Jumper cables are best used to top off a discharged but otherwise good battery before starting an engine, at least a diesel engine.

PS. If you keep trying to start the engine with inadequate battery, you will destroy the starter motor.

 

Mark,
Friday I will put the 2 month old battery out of my 1990 D350 in it with the serpentine belt removed and try it.
If it does not work will also connect the battery from my Mercury Sable with its engine running using jumper cables.
Two should be better than one.