After a battery check, the MS016 tester diagnoses the starter in the vehicle and the MS008 bench tests a removed unit using voltage and current graphs.
If the engine will not start, check battery voltage first; it should be above 12.2 V. If the battery is fine, the starter is next, and reliable diagnosis calls for dedicated test equipment.
The MSG Equipment MS016 tester records voltage at terminals 31, 30, 50 and 45 and current at terminal 30 during cranking, without removing the starter, and displays them as graphs that point to the cause:
- A large voltage drop at terminal 30: battery problem
- A large drop at terminal 45: solenoid failure
- Sharp current spikes: electric motor fault
- Low current with high voltage loss: poor wiring
For starters removed from the vehicle, test benches such as the MS008 provide a complete performance check.