Starter cranks slow, doesn't catch

[thnikkamax]

This problem started shortly after this idiot I call "myself" let the lights on and the battery died.

 

A few days later, I noticed that the starter would take a few tries to spin completely. At first it would just click, but then it would start cranking but really slow as if the battery was close to dead.

 

Jumping the car did not help at all. Replacing the battery helped just a little but it still took a few tries to get the engine fired up. Feels like everytime I try to crank it I'm abusing the battery.

 

I cleaned the grounds, sanded them a bit and used electrical parts cleaner on anything I thought could be related. No difference.

 

I tried installing a relay mod that I found from a google search, no difference.

 

What I don't get is that I have done zero work to anything electrical in a loooong time, then what could it be that started causing this? A recent dead battery?

 

A few more symptoms, both battery posts get really hot. So does the starter motor and solenoid, and this wire between the solenoid and the starter gets super hot and starts cooking.. lots of smoke.

 

I'm wondering if I should just replace the starter.. but I have one from a 71.. would that fit the 76 L28?

 

Help!!!

[Daeron]

Have the starter tested. Chances are its got worn brushes. The other starter should swap, even if it looks slightly different.

 

If you are handy, you can take the starter motor apart and insect it. Everything is fairly obvious inside; you may even ultimately decide to rebuild it yourself if you take this plunge.

[roger.svoboda]

When things get hot means you are pulling a lot of amps so yeah new starter since it appears you did check cables for corrosion. The starter acts like a resistor in the circuit. when operating normally this apparent resistance impedes the flow of current because doing work. If you short a wire directly across the battery terminals you get a lot of amps in a hurry melting the wire. So it would appear that your starter is looking more like a short (low resistance) than a starter.