Our track is finally open again. Naturally, the Road Runner went into Prima Donna mode. Last Saturday we went down and I was having starting problems. The engine is a 383 with a 143 tooth fly and Dynomax headers. The starter motor is a standard Mopar reduction gear starter. The car acted as if the battery was dying. The battery is only 3 months old and is a group 27 battery with over 800 CCA. It normally starts the car fine. The cables are 1/0 tinned marine wire running to the starter, the engine block and the chassis. The car is a 70 Road Runner with a 4 speed fortunately so we were able to push start it.

We put it on a charger for probably an hour or so. I had it on the high charge initially and when it started dropping the amps on the gauge I dropped it to medium charge and kept checking the battery temperature with my hand. It seemed to make no difference, the starter still cranked it slowly.

On Sunday, I put the battery on a charger again. I checked it with a voltmeter and it was over 13 volts. Same symptom. I grabbed the Group 65 battery from Michelle's Land Rover. No difference in cranking. I moved the ground conection from an intake manifold bolt to one of the water pump bolts, one of the top ones that does not go through water, and I wire brushed the threads. The ground cable for the engine goes straight from the engine block to the negative terminal on the battery. I also removed and cleaned both ends of the positive cable. After charging all night the same symptom this morning. Either battery started the Land Rover with no problem.

I suspect the starter is cooked. It is a rebuilt, I believe, that I got locally a couple of years ago. It is only a few millimetres from the header tubes which does not help.

How can I check the starter? Should I drop it out and hook it up to the battery with jumper cables and jump the solenoid terminal? I guess if I do that and it still turns slowly I have my answer.

I have been looking at the RobbMC starter. It looks like a nice piece of kit. Its small size would allow me to wrap it in insulation to protect it, I think. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I looked on Summit's website and all of the better quality small high torque starters appear to be in the same price range.

The vapor lock or fuel delivery problem will be another thread.

Still had a great time at the track of course.

hmmm. sounds like it went north to me.

How can I check the starter? Should I drop it out and hook it up to the battery with jumper cables and jump the solenoid terminal? I guess if I do that and it still turns slowly I have my answer.


Use a amp draw gauge on the starter cable during cranking,
sounds like its up there

Thanks, I will ask around. Any idea what the amp draw range should be? The engine is 10.2:1 compression, I think DRAM said cranking pressure was around 180-185 when he built the motor.

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Somewhere around 100-125 amp MAX
EDIT
You might find the gauge at your local auto parts store

Thanks for the info!!!!

Dave,
those Robbmc starters are pretty nice, maybe just a little pricey though.
we carry the full powermaster line if your interested in something like that.

by the way, i wore your (my) T-shirt to the track here. it sparked a lot of interest about your racing on the island. thanks.

Dave
I'm sure you have the starter problem sorted just fine, but your comment about wrapping the starter to keep heat out..I did that once..Three weeks later I was changing the starter...The asbestos wrapping trapped the heat inside...I wound up using a small coffee can to make a heat sheild that would deflect heat but allow airflow to cool the starter.. Never another problem...

sounds like a cool idea, would that make it good to the last drop?

I always wondered what that perculating sound was...