Slow Starter?

[cosmo]

My starter seems kinda slugish the past month or two. It always starts and without any alarming sounds but turns over slower than it used to. The voltage from the Battery is as it shoud be and the contacts are clean. What els should I be looking for ? Please advise

 

[dd113]

Battery cables, terminals, starter connectons.

 

[Stone]

Maybe take it to a shop for an AVR test? Should tell you how your starter, alternator and battery is doing.

 

[cosmo]

Yep, It all looks clean with good solid connections, battery cables look almost new . Could somthing within the starter cause this sort of problem. In the past it could sit for a month or more yet start right up as if it had been waiting to go.

 

[zetasig]

I had the same issue getting my 75 2f running. (sat for 3 years) I put in a New Battery, charged and tested, all new wires. Good grounds, and the thing would barely turn over.

Last resort I bought a re-manned starter from Man a fre for 39 bucks. Bolted it and and turns over now like a rocket.

There are confilicting views of a starter dying over time. I am convinced it can happen.

I would suggest pulling the starter and taking it to pep boys or autozone and having them check it.

 

[Romer]

When you checked your connection did you check the ground to the frame from the battery (metal to metal) and do you have a connection from ne of the starter bolts to the frame?

 

[cosmo]

Thanks for all the input guys,
I just checked the ground wires- it all looks and feels solid. ground from one starter bolt to frame and one from battery to frame. Will an AVR test provide more info than a volt meter can? That may be a dumb question so don't slam me too hard.

 

[65swb45]

Get a gear reduction starter from an FJ60 and don't look back!

 

[trainrech]

This is kind of scary, but when tornadoalley and I were working on my SM420/3spd swap we took the starter over to the parts washer to clean up 27 years of accumulated gunk. When we put it on the next day (with fire extinguisher close at hand) it spun faster than it ever had before.

I figured we'd probably fried it and it was on its last legs, but still seems to be working fine.

 

[cosmo]

Is an fj60 starter a direct bolt on or will mods be needed?

 

[65swb45]

Is an fj60 starter a direct bolt on or will mods be needed?

Direct bolt on, just need to lengthen the solenoid wire.

 

[jwest]

BTW, checking the grounds means cleaning/filing the connections from the neg bat post to the frame and block. Not just to see if the cables/wires are tight.
Same with the starter.

.

 

[cosmo]

Nice!

what's the advantage of the gear reduction starter?

 

[jwest]

Regular starters are a straight shot from the motor to the pinion.

Gear reduction starters have a smaller, higher speed motor with a set of reduction gears.
The pinion is in line with the solenoid instead.
You get higher speed and more torque.

.

 

[alstaz]

Gear Reduction

Is the starter off of a 79 2f a Gear reduction type? Is it visually apparent which is which?

 

[cosmo]

That makes perfect sence. Sounds like it would also reduce the stress to the motor making for a longer lasting unit?

I'll be pulling it for a good cleaning later this week. Hopefully I'll have the same luck as trainrech did if not- the fj60 unit sounds like the way to go. Thanks for all the advise Guys

 

[jwest]

Is the starter off of a 79 2f a Gear reduction type? Is it visually apparent which is which?

The solenoid is smaller than the motor.
If the pinion is inline with the solenoid, it's geared.

.

 

[jwest]

Here's a pic.

 

[offcamber40]

Mine was old and slow when I first did my rebuild, I picked a gear reduction starter from JTOutfitters, its a bosch remanufactured unit. You can actually drive the car easily with the starter alone in low gear! It was a direct bolt on, and it works very well, especially on cold morning starts.. it turns fast and effectively.

Mike