Bench Testing A Failing Starter

Рет қаралды 133,758

5 жыл бұрын

In this video I was testing Ms.Marie's car that seemed to have an intermittent starting issues.I was unable to perform conventional in vehicle tests that I would normally do because of the location of this starter in her car. I suspected there was a brush problem so I decided to test it just like I would any other DC motor. With a scope! -Enjoy!!
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Пікірлер: 485

@VoltageDropDiagnostics 5 жыл бұрын

I’ve never thought of checking the amperage while bench testing a starter! That’s brilliant!

@spaceinvadertoo 5 жыл бұрын

He would have run the same test with it still on the car if he had been able to access the terminals, etc. However, when installed, the terminals are in an inaccessible location. So to do that kind of test it is necessary to remove it from the car and bench test it. He still would have reached the same conclusion: junk starter. He still would have had to remove it to install the new starter. He did say he had already heard the starter "hum" when it occasionally failed to turn over while still on the car. He was going with what he already knew, from experience, would be the outcome.

@99Puddin 5 жыл бұрын

What? No phone ringing? No air compressor? No brake cleaner? I'm outta here! :)

@mattdloughy5369 5 жыл бұрын

And no thumbs down lol

@jameswatkins7278 5 жыл бұрын

And no door bell...

@tacocin 5 жыл бұрын

... and no air raid siren

@jameswatkins7278 5 жыл бұрын

tacocon : Around here it’s a tornado siren except on Wednesday at 1pm if the sun is out, then it’s a weekly test .

@parochial2356 5 жыл бұрын

Bring back the interruptions & noise or I'm cancelling my subscription! Sorry - just kidding.... Love your vids Eric!

@brodievogt9869 5 жыл бұрын

I love that you took the time to scope the amperage on the bad starter and new starter both. It's the best visual for sure 👍👍

@MrGardman 5 жыл бұрын

Excellent video. I like that you can see the results on the Pico.

@VWWRENCHIE 5 жыл бұрын

Dr. O takes us for a high torque spin without giving us the brush off..a great start to the week!👍

@spaceinvadertoo 5 жыл бұрын

I see what you did there. You should not give up your day job to write jokes.

@leriksenbendigo 5 жыл бұрын

Where can I get my "Not a Sponsor" t-shirt ?

@TheBrookian 5 жыл бұрын

They are right next to the "There's your problem, lady!" shirts.

@mikede9601 5 жыл бұрын

Very well explained and shown . 👍

@jeffw2218 5 жыл бұрын

I have been watching your channel for about a year now. Taking what I learned from you, I was able to diagnose my elderly father's 2000 Explorer with a misfire. I started with the plug and got no spark. Tested at the distributor and had spark. Spark plug wire was broken in two. New wires and he's back on the road. Thank you Mr. O. If it wasn't for your videos, my parents would be down to one car. They didn't have the money for a shop to repair it. 30 minutes of my Saturday was all it cost them. :-)

@DaveSomething 5 жыл бұрын

no, I believe it told you... my truck told me yesterday "I'm gonna need about tree-fiddy!" as both rear brake calipers, pads, rotors, and a seal in the front diff were needed.

@jeffryblackmon4846 5 жыл бұрын

The scope doesn't lie. Thanks again for another fine video, Eric!

@15743_Hertz 5 жыл бұрын

Most educational Mr. O. This is definitely an excellent tool for the toolbox.

@notajp 5 жыл бұрын

As soon as I saw the waveform from the old starter, I thought, “Wow, that looks nasty!” The new starter even sounded better before I saw the waveform. Great to see a such a graphic example of a worn starter! I’m sure Miss Marie will be pleased too.......🤘

@marty0715yt 5 жыл бұрын

That was the BEST test of a starter!! I've got to get a scope mode sumptine!! Carried a scope for 42 years and NOW I need one!! Original had a green screen and had to turn the lights out in the room to see it!

@fascistpedant758 5 жыл бұрын

That sounds like my scope. I could use something more modern too. I feel like I'm in a 50's sci-fi movie when I use it.

@ramos5875 5 жыл бұрын

Eric O is the only mechanic on here that supports his diagnosis with truth from engineering fundamentals

@christheother9088 5 жыл бұрын

All cars should come with starters that have hammer-tapping accessibility.

@workingshlub8861 5 жыл бұрын

agreed..i drove a whole summer with my hammer in an old dakota years back...nothing better on a date then crawling under and giving it a whack while she sits there and rolls her eyes..i remember the tight on cash days lol

@robc8468 5 жыл бұрын

Better yet the ECM module should be able to "see the noise and dropouts" on the starter motor and throw a starter motor defective code. Or even better still the car companies should build a better starter for $1.50 more use better brushes and commutator material designed to last the life of the car.

@FishFind3000 5 жыл бұрын

Rob C what about brushless starters? Just like tool motors. Longer life, less power consumption, more power.

@workingshlub8861 5 жыл бұрын

@@robc8468 usually oem starters do last along time though....ive had plenty of 100k mile used trucks that still had what looked like originals.

@jamesu 5 жыл бұрын

@@k9under Hand cranking today's engines would really be hard!

@jacknobles1907 5 жыл бұрын

This brought to my mind of a time when I had borrowed mys sister's 1970's Mazda to drive to Atlanta (80 miles) - as soon as I got roughly half way there the car suddenly quit. Pulled on the side - opened the hood and after messing around looking anything out of the ordinary I saw the electric fuel pump (cars back then had the fuel located in the engine compartment) - I tapped on it and it began make it's running noise. Got back in and started driving only to have pump do the same thing again. So...I piece of wire in the trunk - tied it to the fuel pump and routed it up thru under the hood thru driver's side window....got back driving again....when the car started to sputter n' quit I'd just yank on the wire to get the fuel pump going again....was able to complete the trip...Lol!!

@rosewoodsteel6656 Жыл бұрын

Great video! I just removed the starter from my wife's 2013 Civic and it tested "dead as a door nail". I figured it was a starter problem, but with the help of your video, I was able to confirm it. It was a bear to replace, but I got the new one in and it's working fine now. Thanks again!

@odaat2001 Ай бұрын

Thank you for your video and sharing your knowledge. Just about to haul my tractor into the dealer until I saw your video. Everything checked out - even the bench test. Started motor worked but evidently did not deliver the adequate amperage. New starter fixed my problem. WOW - thanks!!!!

@kensimpson8133 5 жыл бұрын

I love how you show your methods, So much better than just throwing parts at a problem and praying.

@adamjones2025 5 жыл бұрын

You go out of your way to explain & show us what you do and why you do it. Can't get enough of your videos.

@f.k.burnham8491 5 жыл бұрын

After working on numerous motors over the years, I could hear that bad starter having brush problems. In fact, the sound was exactly like my old shop vac made when the brushes failed in it. Love the visual test on the scope.

@iandamianluciferwilson7385 5 жыл бұрын

Another excellent vid Mr O. Looking forward to the next one.

@fredbach6039 5 жыл бұрын

Very nice work. But man it would be good to see the brushes and their springs and the state of the commutator !!!

@kellerrobert80 5 жыл бұрын

Yeah, let's rip those babies out and have a look-see. We come her for entertainment, not education!!

@klwthe3rd 5 жыл бұрын

Back to what we love most about SMA! True testing, not guessing when it comes to parts replacement. Seems like the DIYer needs to get an inexpensive oscilloscope to do this test at home.

@jmcenterprises9591 5 жыл бұрын

Nice. We used to spin a dc motor with a DVM reading resistance, looking for dead spots. The pico does a great job giving a graphical output. Thx Eric O.

@jayasanka5978 5 жыл бұрын

J Cirafic can you please elaborate your method?

@jmcenterprises9591 5 жыл бұрын

@@jayasanka5978 if you spin a dc motor while reading resistance, the resistance jumps up, then goes back down when it stops spinning. If it stays high, you found a dead spot.

@workingshlub8861 5 жыл бұрын

had a old dakota did same thing years ago...drove me crazy for months. would be fine for days even weeks then it would act up...hammer tap and was good to go. i thought starter would either work or not..never knew they could slowly die like this back then...keep these coming eric..awesome

@rmercado6753 5 жыл бұрын

Love how you test and actually diagnose the problem instead of just swapping parts and hope it fixes the prob like most lazy mechanics, you good mechanic, keep up the good honest work 👍

@nickmayo2974 5 жыл бұрын

I’ve had the exact same problem on a civic. Intermittent slow/no crank. It was a auto parts store starter I had replaced already and because it passed their “bench test”, they tried to make me buy another another one. Wish I had a scope that day. Good idea proving your diagnosis that way

@ivorwm2291 5 жыл бұрын

Wow. It's great how the technology can test the old starter and knowing it was failing. I always used my ears and I could tell it was starting to go bad. I would just wait for it to fail. This is so much better, especially for someone that is not car savvy and needs their car for work. Thanks for sharing

@guyburleson8918 5 жыл бұрын

Perfect vid of how to doom a starter the right way! Thanks for another great video!!!!!!!

@AaronBelknap 5 жыл бұрын

Scopes/Graphs are the greatest! We used them in the consumer electronics biz (TV's, stereo's, CB's etc.). It sounded good but it was erratic. I had a starter that would turn very slowly, like a bad battery turning. Took starter to my parts guy, pegged the amps on his tester, it was bad, new starter too. Great video!!

@Familyray 5 жыл бұрын

Great video, I have had to fight with the clerk at advance auto over a new starter going out in 30 days because it would work on the bench, but not on the car, finally got a swap and it's been working on 3 years now !!!! Thanks for the video.

@davecaselli1957 5 жыл бұрын

Had the same struggle with an independent parts store some years ago. I took two of them back from my Bronco. He claimed there was nothing wrong, must be my battery. I told him my OLD starter worked OK but it now had a cracked drive gear. I didn't think there was an electrical problem. His THIRD started worked OK, BTW.

@WBOS72 5 жыл бұрын

Excellent video - I love the indepth diagnosis vids. Thank you.

@quintonquill 5 жыл бұрын

Seeing how honest a mechanic you are ,wishing i lived near you .There is always that intrepidation when you move and no longer know the guy or gal that is looking at your car.

@ricklogan3328 5 жыл бұрын

Very heads up my friend! I am electronics trained, I was thinking maybe put it on a scope to really see what the motor is doing... You did that with your own type of tool.. Great job! Thank You so much...

@BellaRocko 5 жыл бұрын

Thank You, Eric! Amazingly I was working on my car this morning as I am having the exact same problem on my '06 Accord with 215K miles on its original starter. I don't have a pico scope, but I bet it's doing the same thing as yours was. I'll take it to an auto store to have them test it, and most likely will replace it. Thank you again!!! You're the best!

@EggHead2103 5 жыл бұрын

I'm happy to report that "...Not a sponsor" is a part of my household lexicon since watching this channel. Thank you for the informative videos SMA!

@62shalaka 5 жыл бұрын

Wow, I learned something! Great video, Eric!

@parochial2356 5 жыл бұрын

Eric; nice new series of videos on component testing. Never dreamed of this back in my wrench pulling days, but then; we did not have access to scopes :) - Please keep them coming.

@bentnickel7487 5 жыл бұрын

I'm not real smart, but you explained it well enough for me to know what I should be looking for and to see the difference. Thank you.

@hammerhead6537 5 жыл бұрын

Excellent demonstration!

@sabergermd 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for another great tutorial. I've been reading Stoakes's Automotive Oscilloscopes Waveform Analysis (your recommendation). Your Pico videos are a great supplement to the book.

@WunKoolKat Жыл бұрын

Very cool testing! This makes sense. My son has said the car has been getting tougher to start and then one day after driving to school, he just got a click and it wouldn’t turn over. Ensured battery and connections were good and still a single click. Starters do go bad and not always instantly and your test shows exactly that…it spins on the bench test, but not appropriately. It’s a 2005 BMW X3 with about 145K and is the original starter (or was).

@genericusername1365 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Eric.

@donnierobertson3088 5 жыл бұрын

Great job again like always

@baxrok2. 5 жыл бұрын

Very cool captures indeed. Thanks Dr. O!

@pathassett1495 5 жыл бұрын

Great test. I never thought about testing with a pico scope. Great job!

@HankAttack89 5 жыл бұрын

Excellent video Mr. O

@jackpatteeuw9244 5 жыл бұрын

"My ear told me it was bad..." About 45 years ago (𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑜𝑠𝑎𝑢𝑟𝑠 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ) I diagnosed a bad water pump just be ear. Early 70s Pontiac. The pump bearing was going which caused the fan blades to vibrate and give out a distinctive "twang" just as the engine started while I was walking by. I had the lady shut the engine off, pop the hood, and confirmed the bearing was going bad. I really freaked that lady out by diagnosing the pending failure just by the sound it made while starting !

@rickcoleman8903 5 жыл бұрын

Cool I appreciate your time.

@mikechiodetti6737 5 жыл бұрын

I've never seen the Pico used to test a starter motor like that. NICE! Mostly, it's in the engine for checking cylinder/compression problems. Great Video!

@berlinbadger6725 5 жыл бұрын

SMA, come for the mechanical expertise, stat for the commentary. Thank you for another great video Eric!

@jamesbruno5896 5 жыл бұрын

Very informative thanks for sharing Eric!

@dereckc9469 3 жыл бұрын

when money was real tight I took apart a starter to clean the contacts real good put it back together and reinstalled, Years later car went to a new owner with the original starter. this video is great to see whats going on on a graph.

@dickskinnersshopandsnapont6718 5 жыл бұрын

Now that’s pretty cool I like to see those kinds of videos keep up the good work Eric o

@denniswilkinson1118 5 жыл бұрын

That's some good info, thanks Eric

@jonathankuhn483 5 жыл бұрын

Nice graphics, brother!! Videos just keep getting better!

@benjaminstockton3917 5 жыл бұрын

Made perfect sense Eric O. good job buddy thanks for video's

@arthurfricchione8119 5 жыл бұрын

Nice job Eric. Thanks for showing and explaining. ❤️ Maybe next time you can use the U-scope 👍

@63256325N 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video.

@toggenation 5 жыл бұрын

Love this. Not just "known good" swap out, but tested to find the actual problem. You could use the SMA channel as training content for apprenticeships

@turboflush 5 жыл бұрын

Best video ever.. bad and new both shown.. allot of vids forget this.. show a good.

@fire7765 5 жыл бұрын

Great video, thx for sharing.

@dirdidarod 5 жыл бұрын

Just bought a new start from auto zone for a barn find 87 iroc-z. Very appropriate video for me

@AntonioClaudioMichael 5 жыл бұрын

Good video Eric O

@williampugh6699 5 жыл бұрын

Nice explanation Eric.

@CHIBA280CRV 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you

@Mike-pu3ot 5 жыл бұрын

Good video very interesting using the Pico

@DA-zi6eq 5 жыл бұрын

Bravo, bravo another beauty of a vid, great testing 👍👍

@tgriffin6938 5 жыл бұрын

Had this same exact problem on 2002 Honda Odyssey and a 1978 Dodge 1 ton truck. Both starters would either start the vehicle or do nothing. On the bench they both tested good. Rebuilt both starters and they have been working great from years now.

@sailme2day 5 жыл бұрын

way cool Dr O ! So simple and no fail test and fix. Your honesty is so refreshing. Keep teaching and sharing.

@markrezac3984 5 жыл бұрын

Neato way to use my dust covered scope for future diagnostics.

@guygfm4243 5 жыл бұрын

Very good thanks

@JeffinTD 5 жыл бұрын

Super interesting excellent video. Need someone to come out with a cheap version of that Pico, though, so I’d have to look at the brushes.

@j06c 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this great video. I nkw understand it. Was confuse why when i bench tested it it work but when i install on engine it would not turn it over.

@ahfelgazzar 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome video!

@robertevans6481 5 жыл бұрын

Yes we have to keep Ms Marie on the road...👍

@WunKoolKat Жыл бұрын

I know both were tested without load, but I think that may make a difference too. A 10-speed bicycle and a kids Big Wheel both spin freely on the bench, but under load, the Big Wheel will not make it up the hill.

@chuckwiderstrom8994 5 жыл бұрын

nice work,love your Jeep cap

@daveogarf 5 жыл бұрын

Eric, have we ever seen Ms. Marie on here before? Trying to place a face with the name, but no joy. You are an excellent teacher!

@1231234abcab 5 жыл бұрын

Wow, I would of never thought to hook the Pico to it. You're good!

@petebach7221 5 жыл бұрын

I once saw a technician put two starters into a car with a seized crankshaft. Dooooh!

@caduceus33 5 жыл бұрын

Where did he fit the second one? :)

@weldingjunkie 5 жыл бұрын

caduceus33 😂😂 you don’t want to know.

@petebach7221 5 жыл бұрын

Junkie, you should have seen him jump when he hooked two batteries up to his arse to try and turn it over.

@weldingjunkie 5 жыл бұрын

Pete Bach talk about a hard jump LOL

@fascistpedant758 5 жыл бұрын

Don N Alternators and A/C compressors are often the culprits.

@doctorjohn-burgtekie 5 жыл бұрын

Eric, Mrs O needs to make a special appearance haven't seen her in your videos lately. Thanks for the starter troubleshooting tips.

@mattway3496 5 жыл бұрын

Best auto vids on the internet.

@sonofmontezuma3732 5 жыл бұрын

Good video 👌 to refresh my thinking

@shaunblakemore7150 5 жыл бұрын

Great test 😃

@spelunkerd 5 жыл бұрын

Excellent, we don't do this enough. I had a similar starter issue that was frustratingly intermittent, with good drop testing and no other factors. Wasn't sure if it was the brushes or the solenoid contacts, but I didn't want to be left stranded and solenoid contacts were not easily available. It would have been nice to document the issue, even if the eventual decision was no different.

@roberthickey1465 5 жыл бұрын

I bought a brush box for my vw jetta starter (bosch 110) from ASPWholesale down in Florida, good product, good price. They also have bushings and other stuff. I would highly recommend them :)