73 dart starter help

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KIII

KIII

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I have a 73 dart sport. My car wasn't cranking. I could jump the starter relay and get it started though. I eventually replaced the relay, but now it barely cranks, then just stops, like the battery is dying, however, the battery's at full charge. Do I need a new starter? Could it be a connection problem? Need some help.

Thanks,
Rob
 
Try cleaning the connections and the ground wire. If not have the starter tested at a parts store. Sometimes the little crap is the biggest pain in the neck.
 
Also, my starter sits less than a finger space away from my headers. I heard that can be a big problem. Anyway to avoid that if I replace the starter without replacing the headers? Thanks..
 
my starter is an inch away from my headers and works perfectly no matter how long i run the car. it sounds like the starter is dragging and may be worn out . check clean every ground you have .
 
KIII said:
I have a 73 dart sport. My car wasn't cranking. I could jump the starter relay and get it started though. I eventually replaced the relay, but now it barely cranks, then just stops, like the battery is dying, however, the battery's at full charge. Do I need a new starter? Could it be a connection problem? Need some help.

Thanks,
Rob
Click to expand...

Are you saying it "barely cranks" even when you jumper across the relay?

If that is so, could be not enough battery, poor battery cables or connections, or the starter is not healthy. I'm tellin' ya, I do NOT like the tinny sound of these "mini" starters BUT THEY DO WORK. They crank better, and draw less battery current doing so.

Mid 90's Dakota V8 truck. will work.
 
New starter, new relay.. initially- it cranked very slow(ign start) and nearly melted one of two ground cables connected to my battery.. short to ground? Now, ign start doesn't work at all, but when relay is jumped, it cranks fine. Input?
 
Brown wire on your starter relay goes to nuetral safety switch.It could be bad?This is why it,ll start jumping at the relay.It,s happened to me before.:D
 
You can put a yemporary ground on the relay to confirm the ground at neutral safety switch is or isn't the problem. I suspect the starter itself is your problem.
A part store cant properly test a starter either.
 
RedFish said:
You can put a yemporary ground on the relay to confirm the ground at neutral safety switch is or isn't the problem. I suspect the starter itself is your problem.
A part store cant properly test a starter either.
Click to expand...
How would I do that, to the body of the relay?
 
It's also possible that the relay has broken internally and is shorting somehow

The wrench in this discussion is you claim that when you jumper the relay, the starter cranks fine. This goes against the melting cable.

I'd start by cleaning both battery posts/ cables and get them TIGHT

Loosen/ tighten the ground cable at the block, and loosen/ tighten the stud terminals at the starter and relay.

Put your meter on the battery, and measure battery voltage IF POSSIBLE when engine is hot. Disable the ignition, pull the coil wire out of the dist. and ground it. Jumper at the relay, and while it's cranking, note voltage 10V is absolute minimum, a healthy starter / battery will typically run 10.5-11V at least.

If battery voltage is OK, but starter "drags," move your voltmeter down to the battery stud on the starter. IF this measures close to same,

Have the battery LOAD TESTED

and try and find someone to test the starter. MOST parts stores CAN NOT test a starter properly.

If you read the shop manual, I believe there are figures in there for "starter stall test" IE the amperage it should draw with the armature locked, but this requires a CARBON PILE tester
 
67dart273 and Mr. Green you guys nailed it. I friend stopped by, grabbed the multi-tester and pin pointed it to starter relay(new?) and bad neg. batt. cable. I'll slap some new ones on and keep ya posted. Thnx again FABO!
 
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