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Major battery drain while starting

To: british-cars@autox.team.net
Subject: Major battery drain while starting
From: ian@Centric.COM (Ian Macky)
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 92 15:24:21 PDT
Well, I set up the timing on my rebuilt distributor, charged up the battery
and it fired right up.  Slight distributor-body adjustment and it's done,
but I'm still going to take it to an ignition shop to make sure the advance
curve is correct.

But, it's still hard-starting.  If I have to crank the motor over for even
30 seconds or so, it pretty much drains the battery.  Most modern batteries
and starters seem to be able to crank effortlessly for a good TEN MINUTES
with no major drainage, but mine doesn't last like that at all.  I had the
battery tested and it held voltage fine under heavy load and it's quite new
so I don't think that's the problem.

My understanding of starter motors would indicate one or more shorted
windings on the armature?  That would suck tons of current without producing
any useful work for it, hence hard starting and major battery suck.  Does
that make sense?

TRF wants $190 for a rebuilt starter, and unfortunately they don't list
all the individual parts so that I can't do it myself.  Is rewinding an
armature something an electrical shop can do for me?  Is this worth pursing
or should I just fork over the $$ and get an entire rebuilt unit?  Would
a rebuilt unit have a 20-year-old armature inside with original wiring
with decaying (shellac?) insulation, like mine?

Also, hopefully it will fire up easier once I rebuild the carbs.

--ian


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