I have a new battery. When starting, sometimes cranks slowly struggling to turn on. I turn off ignition, restart and then starts right up. Is my starter starting to go bad? Or is it another part in the ignition that is faulty?
You may want to remove/clean thoroughly and replace wrench tight all the battery cable connections (this means at the starter too).
A weak starter would be something to test.
I hesitate to suggest you replace a particular component because it MAY be the culprit, as I don’t like to see people throwing parts at a fault in hopes of finding a fix.
That gets not only frustrating but expensive.
Does this ‘slow cranking’ occur when the engine is cold/warm or just anytime?
A poor ground connection in the ignition system could cause a faulty start too.
The connections from the battery to the starter should be checked out. If for example, the connection at the starter is poor, this can cause a voltage drop. And when you drop the voltage to a DC motor it turns slower. To create a voltage drop requires a resistance. A resistance creates heat.
So when you first try to start the engine, the poor connection causes a voltage drop to the starter and the starter turns slower. At the same time this poor connection heats up from the resistance it’s providing. When this connection heats up the components expand from the heat and creates a better connection. You then turn the ignition off and try to restart the engine and the starter turns normally and the engine starts.
Tester
The “slow cranking” occurs more often when the engine is warm, but its not all the time. If I feel the slow crank, I immediately turn it off and try again hoping it starts. For now it has started up in the second start. Cold starting actually has not been a problem. But it has occured.
I will be checking out the connections. Hopefully its that simple. The starting problem has occured more when the engine is warm. Cold starting has not really been a problem, but it has happened. When engine is warm, if I hear the slow crank, I have turned it off immediately, waited and restarted. So far it has started. Is there a difference with engine being cold or warm?
The reason I asked is sometimes a ‘slow crank’ can come from a starter that is heat soaked.
That is where the starter is absorbing too much heat from the engine and in this case would need a heat shield replaced or one put in place.
Thanks for all the advice. After checking all the connections, the problem continued. Brought her in to get starter tested, turned out that oil has been dripping on it from the head gasket and worked its way into the starter wires. Had to get a new one and change a gasket. Thanks everyone.