Starter button stuck....disconnected cable at the starter( it was engaged), left it over night, next AM battery was dead. Do I have a short somewhere along the line...?

 

Yes.

The starter button can be checked with an ohmmeter. If it's always closed, well there you go.

But more likely, the starter relay contacts are stuck closed. Again, check it with an ohmmeter from one large post to the other (remove the battery cable).

EDIT: Actually, you'd have to have a load to drain the battery. With the starter cable removed, is there anything else connected to the starter terminal on the starter relay?

 

Battery does not seem to take a charge. Nothing is connected to the starter.

Connected to the battery cable is a small converter? switch ? When I have the charger on the battery it starts to click over and over......?

I don't know much about electrical systems on this truck.

I have the starter button disconnected, I've ordered a new one.

Not sure what to do next...

Jim

Truck sure looks good...just can't get it started, ...old trucking is so much fun!

 

It is possible that with the starter button stuck "on", that you had power going to the solenoid and possibly the ballast resistor bypass.

That solenoid by itself would probably draw 5A at a minimum just to hold the contacts closed. Even though you disconnected it from the starter, from the way you described it, the solenoid was probably still energized.

On top of that, some batteries behave badly when they are fully discharged. Sometimes the plates are sulphated and fully discharging the battery finishes that job. Try a trickle charger for several hours to see if it takes a charge at all.

Dan

 

Thanks, I will try the charger again.....