So I tried to go and start the truck in my sig last night. I put the key in, turned it to the on position, all my lights on my radio and dome light and everything came on like normal. Turned the key forward to get it to start and the solenoid on the fender clicked twice and then I lost everything. No lights, no dome light, no radio, no headlights even, Electric door locks wouldnt even work. I was thinking okay my less than a year old battery must be dead. Got the charger out and hooked it up, said it was at 80%. Thought okay yeah whatever, left it on trickle charge all night. Checked it this morning and it was fully charged. Took the battery charger off, tried to get it to start and the same thing happened again. What could it be and what should I try?

I was thinking makybe the relay on the fender but that would be like the thrd one in 2 years, the battery is good, and the starter is new. Usually when I have starting problems like all those I atleast have my radio and headlights?

Any ideas before I proceed with beating the windows out of this pos?

 

You probably have a bad connection somewhere. Could be as simmple as dirty battery terminals or block ground. Check at the starter relay also. Do you have a voltmeter? How about a test light?

 

I have both a test light and a voltmeter?

 

I used the voltmeter and it looks like I have power at the relay on the fender. I tried using it on te one at the start and it says I dont. But doesn't the key have to be on for it to have power anyway?

 

Does the voltage say at the relay on the fender when the key is turned or does it go away?
Where are you putting the Neg lead of the voltmeter for the tests?

If you have power on the battery side of the relay on the fender to the body (not the frame, battery or the engine block) then you have a bad fuse link, fuses or a bad connection at the relay.

 

Sounds like dirty battery cables to me.. Clean them, it won't cost anything to do this, just time and effort.....

If it has the "clamp on" cable ends take them apart and clean there too..

 

Sounds to me like bad connections on something, most likely the battery terminals. they will corrode and made a good enough connection so everything works but as soon as you try and start it 100 amps wont pass through the corrosion, something will arch and then you have nothing. Clean the battery terminals and try again.

The starter relay on the fender will only have 12V on the battery side, measured from the battery side to a GOOD ground source. DO NOT measure across the 2 big terminals. You will only have 12V on the starter side of the relay when you turn the key to start. the relay pulls in and make the connection from the battery to the starter.....

Diesel Rod

 

If I put the negative voltmeter on the battery, the relay reads with both the key on and off. If I put the negative on the core support or fender I get nothing with both...

 

That is perfectly normal. Like I said before the terminal on the fender realy that connects to the batery will ALWAYS have 12V, its physicaly connected to the battery....

The paint on the fender and rad support are prolly keeping you from getting a good connection.

Diesel Rod

 

deffinately gonna say you have a bad connection. i would suggest cleaning and tightening your battery terminals then check the wires frome the batery cables to the starter and the neg wires to the frame and the body if you dont have a good solid ground it wont start either. good luck

 

Got it started guys! Corroded battery terminals always make ya feel like a dummy everytime!

 

The Neg cable goes to the engine block and NOT the frame.
You may have a crimp half way that bolts to the frame but that is use only if you pull trailers.
But yes it sounds like a bad connection to the body at the fender.

Sounds like the body ground is bad in the photo below:


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thanks bill its hard to see through all the greese on mine but it looked like it was grounded to the frame, good to know