Club 80-90 Forums

Hi is it possible to check the cranking speed of a starter using a normal autotester/voltmeter- if so - how do you connect it up ?, mine have a rpm/tach setting on it but i get the feeling its not possible on a diesel ? Just trying to check if my starter is up to scratch.

Cheers

not sure if it will work, but you need to connect to the "w" connection on the alternator to get a rev counter out put.

multimeter rev counters use the spark signal so wont work on a diesel, an optical rev counter is probably the easiest way to measure cranking speed
or a diesel rev counter that takes its input from the injectors

The alternator signal (from the w terminal) is not linear so unreliable at low revs

cheers,

the article i was reading said to check for a cranking speed of 150rpm, and had some kind of special vw tool i think that was a TDC sensor i think- which i guess is like the optical rev counter mentioned.

I guess 150rpm will be way to low to check on the alternator then ?

Cheers for the replys