rsylustr,
Read about what your trying to do by reading my post #9 before you go shorting things.
This thread is nearly 2 years old.
Your lucky I saw your reply asking for help.
Good luck.

 

I read that first, I always read your posts first (see COP stuttering issue thread).

Battery is at interstate dealer for warranty required overnight charging in case my charger just doesn't do it.

When i turn the key, all gauges and lights shut off. Turn key back to RUN and everything back on. When tightening the connections at the starter, I accidently touched two connections and got a spark....hope that is a good thing as far as electrical flow.

Will check fuses with multimeter this weekend

 

Based on your last reply; when you go to crank the motor and the dash and other lights go dim or out, that tells you the current drawn by the starter is 'dropping voltage' across a poor connection in the path.
This is why the dash and lights go dim or out from lack of full voltage.
It's not a fuse.
The battery might have a poor intercell connector for which a battery load test would find, or cable connections and/or faulty cables are the next likely cause.
Said another way, the starter load 'finds' the circuit fault wherever it is located.
Some one has to inspect all the parts.
Good luck.

 

thanks...wish I read this yesterday.
- Battery fully charged and checked by interstate dealer. Allegedly good to go, no bad cells. Part of me wants to replace anyway. Only 4 years old.
- All fuses checked under hood and dash (apparently that wasn't needed but good learning lesson for me
- $25 including tax relay under hood replaced which sounds like it wasn't necessary.

First time i turned key, gauges swung to maximum and back to normal. Never did again...not sure if that means anything. Sounds like it is time to get back under the truck and work harder to check the connections at the starter. There was some corrosion on it, but nothing horrible. Will start there....hope that is included in the list of things above in your post.

What is in the large plastic thing between the negative and positive cables? Is there a fuse or fusable link or does the cable burn through there often?
Would there be any value in having my wife turn the key to START while I'm under the truck with the volt meter checking the cable going to the starter?