Slow cranking starter

[amar67]

Hi, I did a search for slow cranking starter and slow starter but I got nothing. Maybe I'm not using the right words. I'm thinking someone else has had to have had this issue as well. I'm working on a 72 Satellite Wagon - 318.

I just got the car about 10 days ago and I replaced the battery as I didn't think it was a good one anyway. But the car still cranks slow. It starts every time, but it just cranks slowly most of the time. Sometimes it cranks fine and starts quickly. but about 70% - 80% of the time, it cranks slowly like if the batter was dying. The battery is new and I also tried it a fully charged jumper battery so I ruled that out. I was about to go down the road of a new starter thinking maybe it's just old and getting tired. But then I cam across this article. Has anyone experienced this slow crank condition due to timing being off? I tested this by removing my coil wire and tried to crank the car and cranks pretty good. So I'm thinking this could be my problem but I'm not sure.

http://www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/electric/ss_101.htm

From the article:
".... While doing this I by accident removed the plus coil wire. Not knowing this I tried to start the car and it cranked real fast. It didn't start because that wire had come loose. After seeing the wire and replacing it I figured since it cranked fast it would again, but with the wire in place it cranked slow."

 

[RustyRatRod]

When does it crank slowly? When hot? When cold? Both? If it's both hot and cold, you can rule out anything associated with that article regarding the coil.

What I would do first is make sure all the basic stuff is right. Battery terminals and cable ends good and clean? Check the negative cable where it bolts to the engine. Take it off. Is the cable end good and clean? How bout where it bolts to the engine? Clean them up good and re connect the cable. Make sure the positive cable and its terminal on the starter are good and clean.

Make sure you have ground straps running from the engine to the body of the car. They are usually located off a bellhousing bolt and run down to the frame rail. There should be more than one and they need to be substantial.

Lots of times, mechanic "geniuses" "work" on a car and think they can leave grounds off for some strange reason. That means the engine will find ground through anything. The exhaust, shifter linkage, anything. I've even seen a melted speedometer cable because it was being used as a ground, since all the other grounds had been left off by one of those legend geniuses I spoke about earlier.

Check the connections on the starter relay. Make sure they are also good and clean. Usually, it's the simple stuff that causes trouble.

Lastly, where in Georgia are you located? Close to middle Georgia? Bring it by, I'll give you a hand.

 

[440roadrunner]

Did you actually get the car to crank faster by removing the coil wire, or are you just quoting an article?

It it DOES the initial timing is advanced too far

Otherwise, Rusty above gave you good advice.

The main reasons for slow starters are:

Not enough battery or a bad battery, IE new must be a HEAVY enough battery

Poor cables and connections Don't just look at them, it's why you need a multimeter. Cables can be corroded INSIDE where you cannot see it, IE a no 2 or no4 cable may be corroded down to the equivalent of a no 8 cable, too small to carry "da juice"

Dragging/ worn out starter

Engine in poor condition, IE dragging bearings. Usually an engine like this is "not long for the world."

You have a multimeter? You can make some tests.

Have a mechanic friend with a battery load tester? You can tell in minutes.................

Load tester:

 

[amar67]

Tanks RustyRatRod and 440roadrunner, you gave some great suggestions. The car cranks slow to start about 80% of the time and it always starts. It does this regardless of being hot or cold. The history of the car may be of some significance here as well. this car was sitting for quite some time and from the looks of it, it may not have been run for a while but things were cleaned out and it was running when I got it. I believe the engine has been replaced about 12 years ago. couple of the vacuum hoses are disconnected. So there is a possibility that the ground cables may be missing. There are some burn marks on some of the electrical connections under the dash and one even on the fuse panel. Here is what we have done so far and what we will do next as per your suggestions:

Replaced battery and confirmed all connections at battery are good.
Replaced the Negative cable entirely and ensured all connections were clean. (old one was cracked at the post)
Replaced the Alternator (was working fine when I got it (14.10 v but after cleaning the engine I might have fried it so it was replaced last night). As per the Haynes manual, I checked the negative cable with a test light to look for a short and found none.

Things I will do now:
I will get under the car and check all the connections going to the starter and solenoid. I will clean the starter as much as possible (the car had a bad oil leak from the valve cover gasket and was probably coating the starter with oil).

As for the engine itself, I believe it's pretty strong as it has been running smoothly and no signs of wear (smoking etc...)

 

[amar67]

Lastly, where in Georgia are you located? Close to middle Georgia? Bring it by, I'll give you a hand.

Thanks for the offer! Unfortunately I'm up in Woodstock. I'm hoping to come down to Moultrie for the swap meet in Nov. I need fenders and hood for my 72 Satellite wagon! Maybe we can meet up if you are going.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Woodstock ain't too far from Macon. I am actually about 25 miles north of Macon. Sorta goin towards Milledgeville. I went to Moultrie last year. Might go again. That would be cool.

 

[amar67]

Woodstock ain't too far from Macon. I am actually about 25 miles north of Macon. Sorta goin towards Milledgeville. I went to Moultrie last year. Might go again. That would be cool.

Dude... you could have helped me check this car out when I bought it I bought it 2 weeks ago just south of the Airport.

As for the starter... This morning I went to start it and it took a long time to fire up but oddly enough, while it was cranking waiting for fuel it cranked very smoothly and fast. I tried that twice before giving it a little gas to help it along and sure enough both times it was fast cranking and smooth. I tried it again later and it's back to the slow drag before it turns over fully.

 

[67 coronet]

may be a bad contact point in the starter.when you land on it,it causes resitance and slow starting.also the most common cable to corrode internally is the positive not the negative.if you have a volt meter check across your battery terminals then move positive end of tester to oposite end of positive cable.if you get a voltage drop replace the positive cable.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Dude... you could have helped me check this car out when I bought it I bought it 2 weeks ago just south of the Airport.

As for the starter... This morning I went to start it and it took a long time to fire up but oddly enough, while it was cranking waiting for fuel it cranked very smoothly and fast. I tried that twice before giving it a little gas to help it along and sure enough both times it was fast cranking and smooth. I tried it again later and it's back to the slow drag before it turns over fully.

Man, I'll be glad to help with anything. Just let me know. Long as you can put up with me bein SLOW. I am disabled so I caint get it done like I used to.

 

[moparstuart]

Quick question is this your first chrysler product ? Do you know that chrysler starters crank really slow to begin with ???

 

[amar67]

Quick question is this your first chrysler product ? Do you know that chrysler starters crank really slow to begin with ???

Fair question... the answer is no, we have had one other, 1974 Plymouth Satellite Custom Wagon (our family car that I grew up in and learned to drive on) but we haven't had that car for 25 years now and when I saw this one, I had to have it! I honestly don't remember our old one cranking slow but I can certainly understnd it being a characteristic of the brand. (all my Fords made similar suspension noises) However, the funny thing here is it doesn't always do it.

 

[amar67]

may be a bad contact point in the starter.when you land on it,it causes resitance and slow starting.also the most common cable to corrode internally is the positive not the negative.if you have a volt meter check across your battery terminals then move positive end of tester to oposite end of positive cable.if you get a voltage drop replace the positive cable.

Thanks, I will test all cables going to the starter and clean all contact points. If it persists, we will call a buddy with a timing light and check the timing and confirm it's to spec and get that out of the way. lastly, I can take the starter off and have AutoZone load test it. If none of that fairs out, I will just live with it for a while as it's not really a big problem and I have lots of other little issues to work on in this wagon.

I will report back with an update.

 

[moparstuart]

Fair question... the answer is no, we have had one other, 1974 Plymouth Satellite Custom Wagon (our family car that I grew up in and learned to drive on) but we haven't had that car for 25 years now and when I saw this one, I had to have it! I honestly don't remember our old one cranking slow but I can certainly understnd it being a characteristic of the brand. (all my Fords made similar suspension noises) However, the funny thing here is it doesn't always do it.

my guess is your starter is just fine thats the nature of the beast , if it bothers you they have modern hi torq ones you can replace it with , Most mopar die hard love that slow cranking sound its totally normal,

 

[amar67]

my guess is your starter is just fine thats the nature of the beast , if it bothers you they have modern hi torq ones you can replace it with , Most mopar die hard love that slow cranking sound its totally normal,

sorry for the late follow up on this one... it was the starter!!! I opted for the high torque model from the 2 they had available at Auto Zone and it's been great ever since. Cranks smooth and ultra fast every time and have not had a slow crank in months.

 

[sleepar]

I put a 1/0 cable on the starter from the battery to the starter and 1/0 for the ground with tinned lugs from the boat yard... on my new starter... had to check to see if it had plugs in it it spun so nice...

 

[UKPlymouth]

I think you mentioned some burn like marks at the fuse box. Might be time to do the ammeter by pass job and keep,things safe.