S-L-O-W Starter Turning Over

1997 Grand Caravan with 3.8 liter engine. Intermittent starter
problems, happens probably every tenth time the car is started. When
key is turned, the starter engages but is barely turning over. The
starter makes sounds like it's being driven by a weak battery. About a
month ago I cleaned the terminals but it still has the slow cranking
problem. Eventually the car starts (crosses fingers). I will test the
battery when the wife gets home from work with the vehicle but I
suspect it will be OK.

I've been Googling the group and it seems that replacing the starter
solenoid contacts is a common repair, however, this is usually
recommended when turning the key yields only a clicking sound or no
sound from the starter. Could my problem be starter solenoid contacts
even though the starter does turn over, albeit very slowly and
laboriously?

 

If battery is in good condition, yes it could be that solenoid makes a bad
contact.
If not, maybe a problem of bushings.

Regards,

Ralf

 

Last year I had both problems with my '95 Concord.
First the key operated intermittently, pushing up on the steering wheel
helped.
Fix: New key switch.

Secondly the starter started becoming,intermittent and slow turning
similar to what you say.
Fix: Reconditioned starter. I suspect it was the solenoid contacts in
the starter, but more effective at the garage to just replace it.

 

Get the battery tested, you will probably find that your problem lies there.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

I will get it tested, but if the battery is bad, why would it fire up
with no problem 9 times out of 10?

 

It could be a bad cell in the battery. And that would the start of
diagnosing the your problem. You did make sure there is no excessive draw on
the system? No dome lite left on, no truck/hood lite on?

Glenn

 

How old is the battery? If it is four year old and I had this problem
I would get a new one period.

 

Here's an update on my progress. Just after I posted my dilemma
yesterday I started getting the dreaded key clicks. The starter wasn't
turning over at all anymore.

I pulled the battery and took it into Sears. It's a DieHard with a 100
month warranty. FYI, if you carry it in they will test DieHard's for
free; if you drive it in with it installed in your car, they charge
$12.99. They also check your starting and alternator system for that
$12.99.

Turns out the battery was good so I took some advice from previous
posts in this group and while at Sears I bought a 15 mm racheting box
wrench with an angled end on it for $9.49. I used a socket wrench with
an angled head on it to loosen the starter bolts then removed the power
cable and another wire going to the starter. I also unplugged a wire
that was going into the transmission so I wouldn't damage it when
removing the starter. I then removed the air cleaner box so I would
have more room to work around. I then used the newly purchased
racheting box end wrench to remove the bolts completely. I suppose it
took about 45 minutes to do this. (Hey, I'm slow and it's been awhile
since I've wrenched on cars.)

I removed the starter and took off the end cap where the solenoid
contacts are located. Both of them had a "step" worn in them (when new
they are flat). I found a starter/alternator shop in the Yellow Pages
about 10 miles from my house and brought the starter over there. They
had the replacement contacts--$2.50 each--and I also sprung for a new
plunger ($19.00). In retrospect I probably didn't need the plunger but
I was already inside the starter and the guy at the shop said I had
used up about 1/2 the thickness of the original copper on the plunger.
The plunger was also pitted.

Once home I disassembled the contacts from the starter case being
careful to note where the washers and o-ring insulators were located. I
inserted the contacts and replaced the bolts, reassembled the o-rings,
washers and nuts. Inserted the new plunger then put the access cover
back on and tightened it down. This took about 15 minutes.

http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/Nippondenso.html

http://www.startercontacts.com/install.htm

Now comes the knuckle-scraping fun time. The biggest problem was
getting the spacer plate that goes between the starter and the flywheel
housing to stay aligned with the bolt holes when attempting to place
the starter into position. Several attempts proved fruitless, the main
problem was the wiring harness that runs through the motor mount area
kept getting in the way. I got an extra long twist-tie and tied it up
as far out of the way as possible--which wasn't far enough. It's been
about 45 minutes since I started attempting to re-install the starter.
Completely exasperated I decided to teach the darned spacer a lesson. I
cleaned off the surface surrounding the holes on both the starter and
the spacer area with brake cleaner. Then I took some contact cement,
put a light coating on both the starter and the spacer, let dry, and
literally glued the spacer onto the starter. Satisfied, I muscled it up
into place (there is a centering post to help you locate the starter in
the flywheel housing), started the top bolt, started the bottom bolt.
Then I used my racheting box end wrench to tighten further. BTW, highly
recommended purchase, saved lots of aggravation. Reconnected all wires,
replaced the air cleaner box (had bought a new air cleaner element,
$5.49), re-installed the battery, and vehicle started fine on the first
turn of the key. And the second, and third, and so on.

So, almost 3 hours total time, about $40, including wrench, parts, and
air cleaner, and the vehicle is back to working condition. I figure I
saved at least $125 vs. having a shop install a remanufactured starter
and saved about $50 by replacing the solenoid contacts and plunger vs.
replacing the entire starter myself.

Hope this helps anyone in the future with the same problem. Good group,
people.

 

Good work! I wish more people would post follow-ups explaining how the
problem was resolved.

Ed