Slow Start tries to "turn over" 3 to 5 times then starts?

Tiny
MGARCIA0720
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 SUZUKI XL7
  • 2.7L
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 247,000 MILES
Vehicle is slow start, tries to "turn over" 3-5 times then starts. otherwise runs fine! Thought it was a valve gasket leak on the alternator and about to ruin the alternator so replaced all involved there including - valve covers gaskets, intake manifold gaskets, spark plugs, and spark plug O-rings, alternator (new not remanufactured) and belts. saw significant water come out the exhaust do added some iso-heet and ran for 1 hr. with A/C running. Battery is fine has full charge and less than 3 months old. Battery tested and is good.

Still same issue.
video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ox4KJRW0WBuDPHH5njQRsnuNnAMWXbBE/view?usp=drive_link
Video (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Tuesday, April 1st, 2025 AT 10:20 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 50,492 POSTS
Thank you for the video, it helps. the first thing to do is make sure the battery cables have a good connection and the terminals are clean, this guide can help:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/everything-goes-dead-when-engine-is-cranked

Next, make sure the battery ground to engine block/cylinder head and the ground to the chassis is good. If these are okay, I would replace the starter motor. Here is how in the images below. Check out the images (below). Let us know how it goes and please upload images of any cable or connection that is questionable.
Images (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Thumb
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, April 1st, 2025 AT 6:27 PM
Tiny
MGARCIA0720
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Thank you, Ken,
Yes, terminals on battery are very clean. Cleaned them out as step 1 prior to any work.
Ground(s) - are you referring to just the (-) cable from the battery or other grounds?
If there are other grounds, can you help me pinpoint the major ones to assure we are properly grounded?
I have the starter on order so. It is on its way. But in the meanwhile, got no shame checking these things and sending the starter back. :-)
thanks again.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025 AT 4:30 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 50,492 POSTS
Nice work, the grounds I speak of go from the battery to the engine and a smaller wiring going from the battery to the chassis. So, the engine will have a good ground as well as the car. You can depend on one cable to ground the car.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025 AT 10:56 AM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Related Engine Not Cranking Over Content

Car Not Cranking? Try This | EASY
VIDEO
Car Not Cranking? Try This | EASY
In­struc­tional re­pair video
Starter Not Working
GUIDE
Starter Not Working
This guide is de­signed to help you iden­tify whether the is­sue with your non-work­ing starter mo­tor is due to an elec­tri­cal prob­lem or a fault within the starter mo­tor it­self...
VIEW MORE