Starter Question

[TTM]

I'm to pull my starter and going to get it tested. What vaules should I be looking at to indicate if it is good or not, to see if it needs replacement.

[moondoggie]

[font=times][size=+]Good Day!

Please forgive my naivet

[TTM]

I'm having cold wx starts that are relation to my Sol-D. I have new batteries and altenator and the rest of my trucks electrical system is in fine working order. So I am thinking that after shutting down and leaving overnight (cold nights) that the starter is drawing to many amps therefore pulling down the voltage required to operate the Sol-D (9volts).

My idea was to pull the starter have it tested and if I needed a new one I could just trade it in and get a new one. So I needed to know when does a starter fail ( value amps?) and begin to draw to much current from the batteries? Kinda new to the starter thing.

If you want some background on the cold start issues I'm having just go to the Sol-d link......

[JohnC]

There are specs in the unit repair manual, IIRC, but I don't have one any longer, so I can't give them to you.

[TTM]

Thanks John I got the numbers from the friend out of his manual, I'm going to get a draw test on it but I think that's not my problem.

[TTM]

Yes Moondoggie you are right, you shouldn't be pulling a starter to test it. I did pull it only to have the dealer say it's working fine ( now I know how to do a R+R on a starter). The starter is working fine on warm starts it's overnight cold starts that the truck is having a problem, and I thought that my problem was the starter but now I'm attributing the cold start problems to my sol-d and direct wiring to the battery. I will get it load tested though. Thanks

[twaddle]

TTM,
you need to get a digital voltmeter, check the voltage at the batteries then check the voltage at the Sol-D, I think the feed is at the pink wire at the Sol-D . You should be looking for the difference in voltages at the batteries to the Sol-D.
If possible (you may need someone to help) check the voltage at the batteries and the Sol-D when the ignition switch is at the glow plug cycle then while turning over the engine.
Write the readings for each stage.

Chris initially said that my cold start fault was my suburbans poor voltage supply,
I also changed the batteries just to rule them out.
When I checked the voltages I found that the voltage drop at the Sol-D was around 0.16Volt less than at the batteries so there is nothing wrong with the wiring.

I have tried warming up the Sol-D without touching anything else and the engine fired so quick you'd have thought I had the block heater on all night.

There is more to this problem than our trucks poor wiring system and unfortunately Sol-D is not coming up with the answer.
Perhaps if they tested the Sol-D unit on a truck after both the truck and the Sol-d had been sitting out in minus 20C they might find the same no start instead of just freezing the Sol-D.

Again good luck,

Jim Twaddle
Biggar, Scotland

[moondoggie]

Good Day!

I hope you installed the little bracket between the rear of the starter & the block. It's a hassle, but bad things are likely to happen if you don't.

"There is more to this problem than our trucks poor wiring system and unfortunately Sol-D is not coming up with the answer." I would not personally buy a Sol-D because they've accepted function down to 9V - it should work down to at least 5V, IMHO. Unfortunately for Sol-D, it looks like moving the factory part way down low per Heath, or behind the headlight like RJ (& now me) may virtually eliminate the problems with them. It doesn't matter - I cannot use a replacement part that is likely to fail when it gets cold out. Very disappointing.

Blessings!

(signature in previous post)

[TTM]

Yes I did install the bracket. Tough little sucker but I got it done. I did all the work from the wheelwell just take off that rubber flap and the work was easer. But for anyone out there, remember to remove the big nut and the little nut holding the wires to the solonid. It's a 5/8 and as 11/32 before dropping it down.
The SOL-D......it's just cold starts. I wonder if they tested it on a truck that had been sitting for at least 12 hours at -20 C. I will contact the company and try to get some resolve on the issue I have all summer. But come fall might have to go the kennedy remote route. Hope for the best.