starteer problems

hi, i just put a new starter and sylinoid in my 74 cj-5 304 i try to start it and it clicks on full battery charge but heats up the positive cable at the battery and smokes worked fine when i first put it on but now drains the battery any checking i can do before taking them back apart thanks

 

Check your grounds between chassis, engine, and battery.


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Mine was doing that and it came to be those replaceable clamp-on battery terminals. My negative wasn't tight. I replaced my cables with new ones after that.

 

If the connector is getting hot and it's draining the battery, you could have a shorted or stuck starter. Disconnect the cable from the starter and see if it still acts the same.

 

Ground issue....

 

Easy to test for ground issues with your jumper cables. Clamp one end of a jumper cable to the negative battery post and the other to the bolt or bellhousing near the starter, and see if it improves.

I'm more inclined to think it's a bad starter. These Ford-type starters have a big steel slug in them that's supposed to be pulled into the starter field. When the slug is driven home, it pushes the starter gear into the ring gear and starts the motor. If the slug does not go home, the motor does not start, and the field acts like a big coil to ground. I have not tested it, but I expect the field draws a lot more current when the armature is not spinning. This could make the cables get warm and smoke after a while.

I'd say it's a bad idea to keep trying the starter if it does not spin right away. If the ground jumper does not help, remove the starter and take it back to the store for testing. I have had reman Ford starters that seem ok at first but which stop working quite soon. You might be able to fix them by adjusting the contacts inside the starter, but better to take it back if you can. Starter R&R on a Jeep is pretty easy ...

Misalignment of the starter could also make the starter motor stall rather than turn the engine. Make sure you have the right part. You still have your old starter, right?