[dstevens1]

I just bought this a week ago. The guy told me it was cold blooded. It started and ran fine after 1min or so. Drive great once warm. Got it home, and it started cranking very slowly. Jumped it with a known good battery, still the same. Ended up burning out the starter solenoid cranking it. Replaced the solenoid. Still cranked slowly. Tapped the starter while cranking and it spun up faster and then would start fine for a couple times before having to tap it again. Replaced the starter and it cranked slowly still with the battery jumper on still. Got an electrical smell from stater and then stopped cranking. I think I burned out the new starter again. But not sure what is causing it. I already checked the battery cables from battery to solenoid and battery to starter and they all ohm out at 0.5 ohm. It looks like I should still clean the ground at the engine. But I know there is not visible corrosion. I think I will try a factory starter this time.

 

[dstevens1]

Kinda sounds like a low voltage issue. How did you determine that the "known good battery" is really decent. Can't go by voltage readings when testing a battery. You need to acquire a $35 load tester from Amazon such as 12 volt battery load tester:

https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-BT-100-Battery-Load-Tester/dp/B000AMBOI0/ref=sr_1_3?crid=19023YBUE2K6J&keywords=12+volt+battery+load+tester&qid=1673401351&sprefix=12+volt+battery+load+tester,aps,212&sr=8-3 Copy & Paste if link no workee

no bells or whistle just a simple load device that can determine if the battery is ok or needs to go. Poor battery performance affects every thing in the electrical system - relays go ballistics when they can't get proper voltage. Quick test: hook the cheap battery tester (above) on the battery observing polarity. Next ensure voltmeter reads above 12 volts. Now press and hold the load button for 12-15 seconds. If voltage is able to maintain 10+ volts for 15 seconds BATTERY IS GOOD! If it can't hold the line at 10.5 volts for upto 15 volts then battery is trash.
Also ensure your jumper cable are in decent shape....

I haven’t done a load test on the battery. But I’ve tried my 2 different trailer deep cycle batteries that are both only 2 months old off my travel trailer. Also these batteries and jumper cables were used to jump it originally when I had the original bad starter and it cranked over strong.

 

[dstevens1]

Have you tried taking a jumper cable and connect to negative battery terminal and other end to engine? Just a thought.. I doubt you've smoked the starter unless attempts were terribly excessive. Sounds kinda like a ground issue now that you've convinced me you're dealing with good batteries. Have you looked at the starter relay? Oh, quick thought - your RV batteries are 12 volt, correct? Mine came with 6 volt batteries wired in series to make 12 volts - I later changed to straight 12 volt batteries.

Yes 12 volt batteries. Yes on the relay. I replaced that first, because the original one was melted on one terminal. Not yet on jumping to the block ground. I will try jumping it directly to the block ground. Also, I did look at the ground, but I haven’t tried taking it off and cleaning it yet. I know visibly okay doesn’t mean the ground is good. I’ll check that as well. I think the starter is toast though. It let the smoke out literally. 😳. I do have another starter on order that should be here tomorrow.

 

[dstevens1]

Yes 12 volt batteries. Yes on the relay. I replaced that first, because the original one was melted on one terminal. Not yet on jumping to the block ground. I will try jumping it directly to the block ground. Also, I did look at the ground, but I haven’t tried taking it off and cleaning it yet. I know visibly okay doesn’t mean the ground is good. I’ll check that as well. I think the starter is toast though. It let the smoke out literally. 😳. I do have another starter on order that should be here tomorrow.

 

[dstevens1]

I installed a factory starter, it cranked perfectly. After starting it a couple times it sometimes will just click. If I rotate the motor over even a half a turn it will crank perfectly again. I’m wondering if I have a compression release spring broken? Maybe if it lands on the compression stroke it’s too much for the starter to turn over. Also, I’m getting an intermittent miss at idle. If I cover the air intake the idle speeds up. Which should be lean? The carb A/F mix screw was at 4 1/2 turns. I set it to 5 1/2 turns. Still has intermittent miss. Runs great anytime throttle is off idle.