Slow and now No Start

[HRTKD]

For the past few months my '91 Ranger has been slow to start. I don't mean that it takes a while to start, I mean that the starter seemed to be turning slow. I figured it was the battery finally dying a slow painful death. So I replaced the battery when the starter wouldn't turn the engine at all.

I hooked up the new battery and I had the same problem! So I pulled out a battery that had been recently on the charger to keep it charged up at a full level and that didn't help much. The engine cranked a few rotations made an odd sound and then wouldn't rotate any more.

I looked around in the engine compartment and noticed that a "cap" was missing from the line that goes from the intake into the brake booster. I found the cap down the street and put it back on. Is it broken?

So what's going on? Here's where I'm headed:
1. The new battery is bad. I'm going to get a jump start from another vehicle as a test.
2. The starter is bad.

Anything else I should check?

My 4x4 Ranger has 190,000 miles and generally runs pretty good in cold and hot weather.

 

[BlackBII]

Sounds like a dying starter to me...does your truck leak oil at all?

I would have it tested,(at vatozone) and maybe get a rebuild kit, or just buy a new one.

 

[HRTKD]

No, it doesn't currently leak any oil. At least I don't see any on the ground and the oil level has been pretty consistent. Something must be goofy because I think that the last time I peeked at the starter it was covered in layers of oil.

It used to leak tranny oil like crazy but the cooler lines were replaced and that took care of it.

So how tough is it to remove/replace the starter? This will be my first major repair on the Ranger (it's a hand-me-down).

 

[BlackBII]

Starter will be held on by two bolts, with one or two wires connected to it. On the drivers side bellhousing, you'll need a ratchet, extension, and a 5/8 or 11/16 socket, can't remmeber which exactly. A 10min job at the most. (for me anyway)

Your starter is covered in oil...that's probbably why she aint workin so well at the moment. (It can get in the starter and not play nice with it.)

 

[HRTKD]

Cool, thanks for the info. Much appreciated!

The valve covers used to leak oil pretty badly and that was repaired about three years ago. I think the leak went right on the exhaust manifold and down to the starter. I cleaned the top of the engine but didn't get to the underside.

 

[HRTKD]

I replaced the starter this weekend and now it starts just fine. While I was under there I tightened up the bolts on the oil pan. Without much effort I turned most of them a quarter to a half a turn of the wrench. I don't know if that's bad or not but they're tighter now.