Preliminary Checks - Starter

IMPORTANT: Determine the condition of the battery following the procedure outlined in the battery. If the battery is not in satisfactory condition, the starter motor will not function properly. Perform the ARBST battery test to determine condition of battery.

Visual Inspection
Check the wiring and connections
^ Battery cables (positive, negative and ground circuit paths).
^ Starter solenoid battery terminals.
^ Starter solenoid ring terminal connector.
^ Ignition switch for proper operation.
^ All connections should be tight and clean.

Perform ARBST Test
1. Turn the ARBST tester on. Connect large red ARBST tester cable to battery positive (+). Connect large black ARBST tester cable to battery negative (-). Place gray inductive current pick-up around battery positive (+) cable. Make sure that the arrow on the gray inductive current pick-up is pointing toward the starter motor solenoid.

Starter Diagnosis Preliminary Checks:

IMPORTANT: Place the gray inductive current pick-up around the battery positive cable between the battery positive terminal and the starter motor solenoid connection. The easiest place to connect the inductive pick-up is in front of the brake master cylinder. The battery positive is covered by a protective wire conduit. This conduit does not need to be removed for this test.

2. Press the STARTER TEST button on the ARBST tester. The ARBST tester will display:
"INPUT # CYLS." Input the number of cylinders.
3. Disable the ignition system by disconnecting the electrical connection at the ignition module.
4. Position the ARBST tester so the display can be seen from the driver's seat. When the display says CRANK ENGINE, turn the ignition to the START position. The tester will continue to display CRANK ENGINE for 15 seconds.
5. The display on the ARBST tester will display the following information:

Amperage Readings:

Cranking Amps: This displays the average amperage drawn by the starter motor during cranking. The above amperage readings are general guidelines for normal operation:

IMPORTANT: As the ambient temperature decreases the amperage required to crank the engine increases.

Cranking Voltage: This displays the average battery voltage during cranking. If the voltage is below 9.5 volts, perform the BATTERY TEST to make sure the battery is charged (green eye) and good (passes ARBST test).

Good cranking voltage and a slow starter cranking speed can be caused by loose or corroded cables.

Good Starter/Bad Stater: If the display reads BAD STARTER, replace the starter motor only after determining that there is no engine mechanical problems or flywheel binding problems.

NOTE: The starter should not be engaged for more than 15 seconds at a time. If the vehicle does not start after 15 seconds, turn the ignition key to the off position for 20 seconds before attempting to restart vehicle.