My 130 Asz engine has been slow to start this long time, few years, but never fails to start so I could easily live with it. For a long time, it always seemed to start on the 3rd try, first try it seemed dead, would just do a very poor attempt and barely turn over for a second, as if the battery was totally dead. Then the 2nd attempt would turn over for slightly longer but still seem weak and not start. You'd know when trying, that it was never going to start on these first 2 attempts. Then on the 3rd attempt, it'd fire up straight away as if nothing had ever happened.
The starter also started to stick in the engaged position as I'd hear that whirring noise for a second or 2 straight after the car started.
I've had different batteries in the car during this time and it was always the same so don't think its a battery problem.
I took the starter motor out of the car about 3 months ago and tested it on the floor with jump leads off another car and it operated fine, the pinion gear popped out and spun and the starter motor itself spun fast and free. I know it's possible for a starter to test ok like this as there's no load on it like when its trying to turn a flywheel when in the car but is there any other way to test this better? I also took the starter apart when I had it out and cleaned all the old hardened grease out and re-greased all the little gears, etc... This has cured the sticking in the engaged position and the whirring noise has gone however the car then always started on the 4th attempt instead of the 3rd like before.
lol.
Lately, the issue has gotten a lot worse, as in it mightn't start until the 6th or 7th attempt, or it could start on the 3rd etc,,, it's becoming harder and more unpredictable to start.
I visually checked the cables when removing the starter and cleaned where the grounds bolt to the car but this didn't make any difference.
I done a voltage drop test on the starter motor today. My battery read 12.37v before trying to start. I know 12.6 is ideal but I don't think the battery is faulty. Then 1 lead on the starter casing earth and the other on the main battery terminal stud on the solenoid and the first attempt saw the voltage read down as low as 8.5v. The first attempt always lasts just a second like this as if the battery is too weak to even attempt to turn. 2nd attempt read down to 8.9 / 8.6v. The 3rd attempt read down to 10.5v and it started on this turn. I didn't do a voltage drop test with the probes just on the battery posts but I will try that tomorrow. I wouldn't be surprised if the battery itself did read 8.5v on the first attempt as that's what it sounds like on the first attempt, really struggles and only makes a half hearted attempt to turn that would never start the engine in a million years. But how can a battery sound so dead and then suddenly fire up as if perfect?
If the starter is the issue, why does it get quicker upon the 3rd turn, surely it'd get slower to turn on each subsequent attempt. This problem happens whether the car is hot or cold, but worse when cold, can also occur after car has only been left sitting for 30 mins or so.
What else can I do to narrow down the problem, I really don't want to buy a new starter if its not faulty. Is there a better way to test the starter motor outside of the car, anyway to put it under load? Or maybe if I try jump starting the car directly off the starter and see if that starts first time, will this tell me anything? I'll try jump starting the battery off another car as well and see if that helps which would point towards the battery.