Starting problems!!!! What the hay????

[pops53]

O.K. guys,
1966 F-100 240 6cyl.
New starter, new battery, new solenoid, new volt regulator, new alternator.
Battery shows 12volts with the truck off. With the truck running I get between 14 and 15 volts at idle and approx. 16 volts at about 1500 rpms.
I drive the truck for a while, sometimes a mile, sometimes more than 10 miles.
When I shut the truck off and get back in to start it wont hardly turn over, and will barely start, sometimes it wont turn over enough to start at all.
Timing is dead on, and I have even advanced it, and retarded it but, it doesn't change the condition either way.

What the hay is going on? I have replaced everything but the radiator cap.

[tac]

All that's left is cables. I would check battery to solenoid, solenoid to starter, and battery to ground cables.

[pops53]

all new and tight

[1972hiboy]

16vdc seems too high honestly even at rpm. anyway. your looking for a voltage drop between the battery and starter or a bad starter. If timing can be ruled out. When you are having the problem start at the battery check voltage. then start working your way down the line. check for voltage on both sides of the solenoid. and see what you get.

[pops53]

Actually its 15.2 when the voltage regulator kicks in, it ramps to that voltage and then stays right there, at 1500 or so rpm, no drop or increase, with all accessories on. The alternator and the voltage regulator are working just fine. That's within .01 volts of spec. That's what is bugging me. My voltage drops are all fine across the whole system. Nothing out of the ordinary. Its the damdest thing I've ever seen.

[pops53]

Thanks hiboy, I'll recheck everything and see what I can find. There is nothing worse than an electrical problem in my book!!!

[pops53]

Is it possible my 8 month old starter is bad? After I drive the truck for a few miles it wont hardly crank. If I let the truck sit for awhile and cool down it will crank.
I've heard that ford starters do this when hot.....just asking. All of my voltages are ok. About .2 drop across the circuit.
I bought a remanufactured starter from auto zone.

[Mancar1]

I don't know about the 6's in these old Fords, but I have had a few with the FE's. The starters do get heat soak and do what you are talking about. When I would have the problem I would put a new starter in. Now That I have had a high torque mini starter for some time the problem of heat soak has went on to someone else.
Good luck, and keep on Trucking.......John

[1972hiboy]

If your not seeing any huge voltage drop accross a componet I would go after checking all your grounds. engine to frame, engine to body, body to frame, ect

[Grease Monkey]

I just recently solved a hard to start when hot issue in my '72....... It was the solenoid to starter cable. The insulation was cracked all over and the wire inside was corroding. Now turns over like I just put a new battery in it!

[1972hiboy]

Its very possible to get a defective remanufactured part from autozone. N-E-W doesnt spell GOOD. also, you try load testing the battery? just to cover all your bases?

[sargentrs]

Try the redneck ohm test. When it happens again, crank on it a few seconds and then run start grabbing cables and connections at cables. The one that blisters your hand is the bad. I'm being humorous but the offending cable/connection will be very hot to the touch.

[tsherry]

It could be your starter is heat-soaking enough from the exhaust manifold to kill it until it cools down. Also, check all of your grounds--the forgotten side of the battery, engine-to-body and body-to-battery side. My 390 heat-soaked all the time and did it until I bought a racing starter.

And I had FIVE bad starters in a row, from both Autozone and Oreilly's for my '71 F500 with the 300 in it...

[slitherfast]

It could be your starter is heat-soaking enough from the exhaust manifold to kill it until it cools down. Also, check all of your grounds--the forgotten side of the battery, engine-to-body and body-to-battery side. My 390 heat-soaked all the time and did it until I bought a racing starter.

And I had FIVE bad starters in a row, from both Autozone and Oreilly's for my '71 F500 with the 300 in it...

My 390 would heat soak the starter until I replaced it. Cranks every single time now with out question. I bought this one on ebay.

Based on the fact it starts cold with no problem I'm willing to bet the problem is the starter.

[Aurelio Landeros]

On my truck it was doing that because the starter was starting to go bad so when the truck got to normal temps it would make the starter struggle. change starter