Problem Starting

[joebroni99]

OK heres the deal. Im having a problem with my 97 explorer 5.0. Recently when i try to start the truck, the starter turns real slow. I took the truck to advance auto parts and had them measure the battery and the alternator. The alternator is up at 14.5 volts while running. Now the battery is an 875 cca battery. they measured the battery and it came up at 1323. Question here, is that way too high? The guy said he never saw a battery 200 more cca over spec. In addition, when he has the meter attached to the battery and i go to start the engine, it shuts off the meter. He said it seems like something is drawing a huge amount of energy from the battery at startup. Now I have a battery for another car same size at 875 cca. i put that battery in and the truck starts up real quick. the starter spins real fast. So is the battery bad? Any help or info would greatly help. Im so confused in what to do at this point.

 

[imp]

If one battery starts the truck normally, but another similar-sized battery does not, my own route would be to ****-can the battery that don't cut it! imp

 

[robertoa1a]

This is one of those, where there is more to the picture than meets the eye.

For starters, pardon the pun, amps are drawn, not forced in. Having an unlimited suply of amps would be a good thing.

Volts on the other hand, should be a constant. In cars 12v (-or+) a one isn't much of an issue.

If the coils are shorted in the starter then limited amperage may make it act somewhat normal for a while. My opinion on the info that you provided but it sounds like the starter is bad.

If the starters internal windings are going bad, it makes me curious why the fuse didn,t blow yet though.

 

[robertoa1a]

You need a DC amp probe. With all the accessories off have one person start the engine while the other uses an amp probe on one of the battery cables. The starter should draw around <35 amps.

An amp probe has a clamp on one end and most of them don't measure DC amps so use the right one.

 

[joebroni99]

I dont have an amp probe. But when the guy at advance auto parts had his machine hooked up to the battery, which runs off the battery power, it would shut off. Kinda make me suspect their is a short to ground in the system somewhere, more than likely the starter. Now I have bought a new starter already, but i really didnt want to install it in my truck without being 100% sure it was bad with the new starter cost 192 bucks. All the problems im seeing are pointing to the starter being bad except one. That if the starter was bad, then wouldnt the starter have the same issue with a new battery? Also the new battery I had tested it with is rated at 875 cca and at Advanced it tested at 910 on their machine.

 

[dt98]

After reading all the posts here...this is what I would do.

You said the battery from your car works good in the truck and it is the same size battery.

I would swap the batteries and drive both vehicles for awhile. If it is a defective battery, the problem should show itself sooner or later in the car...and you can see how the truck runs on the battery from the car.

I just changed the battery in my '94 Ford F-150. Some mornings it would start, some mornings the battery would go completely dead when I turned the key to start the truck...I mean totally dead...the radio would lose it's programming, etc... It was just as if you disconnected the battery.

I moved the battery over from my '99 Explorer and no more troubles...then I put a new battery in my Explorer...

Me, I would do the battery swap first before changing the starter.

 

[joebroni99]

Thats a good idea about swapping the batteries. Tonight im going to swap the explorer battery into my car and see how it starts up if it has any problems.

 

[imp]

.... That if the starter was bad, then wouldnt the starter have the same issue with a new battery? ......

One would certainly think so. But, if you have a new starter, and hi-miles on the old one, why not throw the new starter in, try the old battery, and proly wind up getting rid of the questions about whether there is a starter problem?
(And wind up with a good battery that starts the damn truck with EITHER starter!). imp

 

[joebroni99]

Well i swapped out my car battery thats a 625 cca battery into my Ex, and vice versa. Well with the small battery the truck starts up real quick and very nice. and the car with an oversized battery that wouldnt even fit into the tray, turned the engine over twice and died. So I think at this point I found the problem. Time for a new battery. Any opinions on which brand battery?

 

[OneLever]

This is one of those, where there is more to the picture than meets the eye.

Well i swapped out my car battery thats a 625 cca battery into my Ex, and vice versa.

It can take a day or two for a faulty charging system or parasitic drain to run a good battery down. Keep driving with the "new" battery in your Explorer for a few more days and then decide. It might die in a day or two which would let you know it's not the battery.

 

[imp]

It can take a day or two for a faulty charging system or parasitic drain to run a good battery down. Keep driving with the "new" battery in your Explorer for a few more days and then decide. It might die in a day or two which would let you know it's not the battery.

Very good advice, IMO! imp

 

[OneLever]

You need a DC amp probe...The starter should draw around <35 amps.

robertoa1a since you appear to have such a device and I don't want to spend $70 on one would you mind doing a little data collection? We have the same setup and and I don't think I've seen it listed anywhere on here so you'd be doing the whole forum a service. I'm interested in how many amps are drawn during the following conditions measured across the positive battery cable:

1. Engine start with all accessories off and warm ambient temperature greater than 50* F.
2. Engine start with all accessories off and cold ambient temperature less than 40* F.
3. Engine idling, after some time to make ambient temperature irrelevant, and headlights on.
4. Engine idling, headlights on, heat on, blower motor on second from lowest notch.

For anybody who cares to know there should be no more than 15 mA of drain from the positive battery terminal after about 30 minutes. This is after the GEM shuts off and the RAP is in monitor mode. It can be tested with a 10 A multimeter in series with the terminal, but you have to use a jumper during the thirty minute wait. Otherwise when you disconnect the battery cable momentarily and then attach it to the multimeter that will wake the GEM back up.