Saab 1.9 cdti ''120'' bhp, slow cranking/starting after new starter motor.

[Rightboy91]

I have a saab 9-3 1.9 cdti 120 bhp and I fitted a brand new starter motor to it today.

When fitting the starter motor back together I went to connect the lead to the battery and it sparked and crackled badly and even a small flame appeared on solenoid scorching it a bit. I thought it was probably the ground wire ( think its called ) that goes through bottom hole of starter motor as the wire was touching a metal nut on the solenoid.



so I loosened it up a little ( can't tighten it away from the solenoid because it wont tighten unless the wire is touching the solenoid ) just so that the wire would not touch the solenoid nut and to rule out if it was this that which causing the sparks/flame/crackling from the battery when putting leads on.

It turned out to be the 2 connections on top of the starter motor touching each other causing the sparks so the sparks problem is now resolved.

Now there is a problem that the car is very slow when cranking sounds like flat battery but battery is fine, I put the wires back the same way they were originally and the starter motor is new so it shouldn't be this slow cranking, it was only £62 which is a lot cheaper than the other ones but still shouldn't be like this. the longer it is sat for the harder and longer it cranks before starting.

the ground lead I didn't fully tighten yet but that is still attached, could that be the cause of slow cranking ?

thanks