Hilux 2.8 Starting issues

[linz]

Hi All

I have a 98 hilux 2.8 and of late i have been having some issues starting the old horse. I have tried a few things but this has me scratching my head. I have load tested the battery and it seems fines when running it is charging fine i have put another starter on and that seemed to rectify the problem for a day or 2 until tonight when i jumped of the tractor (about as far away from the workshop as possible and not parked on a hill) and the f#*ker was back to its old ways and wouldn't start. It sounds like the battery!! as it hardly turns the motor over but as i said i have checked the battery unless i am missing something. If anybody has any ideas or has come across this before some guidance would be greatly appreciated

[tweake]

was the replacement starter rebuilt/repaired at all?
really common for solenoid contacts to wear/burn causing poor starting.
you may have fitted a worn starter.

otherwise it will be battery or cables/connections.

[linz]

tweake thanks for the reply it was a new starter so i thought i was onto a win yesterday when it was cranking fine. Maybe it is battery!!! I was thinking perhaps i should remove my earth cables and clean them up i followed the main earth and it loops round and bolts onto the underside of the alternator is this normal?? i thought it would go to the chassis somewhere

[tweake]

don't know that year but usually one earth from battery to chassis or body, one/two from chassis to motor.

[skidmark]

have you checked what the battery voltage does when you go to crank?

[Tarmac]

I had trouble with startin a nissan ute - I know its different but came back to rubbish earthing of the 3.2 starter from factory, sparky said it was shite. (After 2 sparkys, a battery, an alt, another bat cos the first one ended up poked) you get the idea

[Crash bandicoot]

firstly drive into a tree, then a brick wall , thru the office. drown it, set it on fire, drop a caravan on it, and hit it with a wrecking ball. then sit it atop a building set for demolition. pick it up with digger drop it again. then grab a can of WD40 and turn key


oops sorry that was the 2.4......

shame, they don't make em like the used too.

[slide]

Does it start fine (normal crankover) with jumper leads attached?
If so that really points towards faulty battery.
Batterys can sometimes be temperamental and test ok even when they're not.
Also fitting a jumper lead from negative terminal to starter motor can be a quick way to test earths. (if it improves theres a problem)

[redz driver]

In the perfect world the earth cable should be be close to the starter motor then other cables onto the chassis Check for any signs of heat when cranking over this shows high resistance to current flow.
all cables should be claen and tight

[Tarmac]

Get a garage you trust to load test your battery before you write it off, I went to a few different people and it was the local round the corner that found the problem...

[linz]

Thanks for all the advice chaps. Im picking my battery must have had a crook plate or something because it could work fine for a day or 2 then nothing yet it always load tested up fine. I pulled the battery out of the old 40 series and its been in the old horse the last few days and it seems to be sound now.