Starter acting strangely

[LeslieTroyer]

I would think you have a bad battery - instead of using both - try 1 - then try 2 - see if you get the same behavior if so borrow a know good battery and try that one alone - also if you have a clamp on ammeter - see what is being pulled from the batteries when running the glow plugs - If you've eliminated the wires it must be the batteries, even if your buddy said they are good.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

One other thought. Measure the temp of all connections between battery and starter. Heat up the glow plug and remeasure the temp. I would use an IR unit that is as cheep as $30. If you get a big change it will be an area of high resistance and need to be fixed

 

[Franzcat]

Thanks Leslie. We went so far as to get a generator hooked up and tried it off the generator. Same result. I think your thought on the heat sensor is great. I'll let you know what happens.

 

[salishmermaid]

Check the wire at the connector that goes into the starter relay. Mine had an intermittent issue starting last summer. It turned out that the wire to the starter relay ran over the shift cable and the shift cable flexed enough to wiggle the wire and eventually that and normal vibration from the engine broke most of the wires at the connector. It would intermittently work after shifting in and out of gear because it was wiggling the wire enough to make the broken wires contact enough. Once I figured it out it was an easy fix to cut off the bad connector and crimp on a new one. Since it starts by shorting across the solenoid posts the relay must not be getting voltage due to a broken wire or bad relay, more likely broken wires near the connector like mine.

 

[Franzcat]

Many thanks. I will check it this weekend.

 

[Jim 5757]

Some things to consider: What is the solenoid? It's a relay - a high current switch controlled remotely by a low current circuit at the panel. So...if the solenoid isn't working but jumping it does then there's a problem with the switch circuit. Check Maine sail's article on universal engine starting problems.

 

[Franzcat]

Just wanted to let everyone know that the starter now works very well. I am not sure which of the things I did worked, but the last things I did were to finish the removal of the old connectors, replace and upsize the ground cable (cleaning up all grounds) and replacement of all the wires and connectors going to the solenoid. Suffice it to say that I got tons of good information on this forum. I still intend to install a glow plug solenoid and possibly a separate starter battery. Many thanks to all

 

[LeslieTroyer]

Always good to hear there was a happy ending.

 

[Jim 5757]

Good to hear Franzcat! Y'see we had this problem way before we knew about this forum. Wasted many hours and skinned many knuckles before we figured it out. Interesting thing that eventually came to us is that Universal put out a service bulletin on this very subject.