Thread: Too Tight

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crate motor in 5O half ton ran fine for several hundred miles. One day while sitting for 1O minutes while in a store, came out and would not start. Seemed as if starter could not turn over. Got a shove, let clutch go and off it took.

Drove home, no trouble, shut down and same deal.

Truck went into storage for a few years without resolution. Now still has same issue. Essentially new starter too weak, or so it seems. Shimmed starter both directions. No change.

Cranks without s ark lugs installed. Gets oil flow right away.

Before I tear into everything, I thought I would ask. I have not changed anything I know of relative to distributor, timing, etc since it ran. It makes no bad mechanical noises.

sos thanx!

To start with, two easy things.

One, do a battery load test if you have a tester, or take it to a shop that has one. The battery should be brought up to full charge for the test to be valid. Could be it's too weak and needs replacement.

Two, you might have a ground problem, though you said it worked fine for "several hundred miles". If you've got a proper ground strap perhaps it's loosened.

I'll second Uncle Bob on this one - check and recheck the ground for an absolutely clean surface and tight connections..

While it is possible something is starting to seize, more than likely Bob and Glenn are right, the starter just isn't getting a good shot. You could even try a temporary setup where you jack it up, put some new, short battery cables on it and set the battery underneath the car and see how that goes. Make sure your ground cable (both in the temporary and permanent repair) goes right to the bolt that holds the starter in place. That way you will know you have a good ground.

I had a 351 engine in a drag car that took 2 12 volt batteries to crank. I thought it was because of the high compression and the fact the batteries were in the trunk. I found out later (when the motor blew) it was that the bearings were starting to seize and the motor was truly tight. Once it fired up it ran normally, just like yours, so there is that remote chance you do have something binding up inside...............but do the easy things first.

Don

I suspect you will remedy your situation with new grounds and new cables, but if not.....remove the spark plugs and turn the motor over by hand with a socket and torque wrench on the damper bolt. It shouldn't take but about 35-45 ft/lbs of torque for the crank to "break-away" and begin turning. If it takes much more than that, there is probably something going on internally.

funny thing, I just ran into a simmilar problem today with my 1998 Ford Ranger 4x4.. swapped out the bad starter, which in itself is a royal PITA on that truck.. went to crank, and got a slow crank like the new starter was also bad, or the battery was dead.. so I got jumper cables, and it started. but would not start without them.. so I went and rechecked what I did, and found the ground strap that goes to the starter dangling.. put it all back togther and it's fine...

I also would have to agree with a ground problem.
I had the same problem with a motor and ran a new cable straite to the starter mounting bolt from the neg side of the battery.
I had had the problem from the time the new motor was put in the truck by a previous owner who never could figure out the problem. Everything was clean and new and cranking would be at best slow when cold and would not crank when warm.
Once a new cable was run straite to the starter mounting bolt it turned over like a high crank starter, no more problems since. Then if this does not work, start looking for bigger problems then in the motor.Kurt

Short and simple.
99% ground problem !!!!!!!!!

I have a friend whose high compression 327 would start cold just fine but once it got warm the starter couldn't kick it over. Problem was twofold. First the starter got too hot being to close to the header pipe so once warm there was increased resistance. Second was the pistons expanded with heat needing a beefier starter to turn the warmed engine over.

can you turn the engine by hand when its hot??? is it a rebuilt or new engine.a lot of crate engines are used engines and may not have had a good rebuild?

Looks like another one hit wonder guys.............

Hey Bob I`ve got 90 posts, man I m smoking......

Well Rich, we always try to make allowances for the terminally confused who have Fords, GMs, and Mopars all at one time..............

thats funny because that is what the wife says....