Hello all, I recently came back home for a few days, went to start the truck up today, and it was cranking, then stopped. I am thinking the solenoid went bad, I know that those things are horribly unreliable and can go bad after 1 start, or a thousand. It's still under warranty from the last time that I replaced it so getting a new one isn;t an issue.

After it stopped cranking, nothing electrical worked, no lights, radio, etc. Think it's just the solenoid, or may it be something else? I don't have much tools with me as they are still out in Hawaii but a second opinion always helps!

 

Check battery voltage and terminals for tight and corrosion. If good move back to the block the positive cable is attached to. One of those should be the culprit. Thats my guess.

 

Yup, that's where I'd start. Same thing happened to me, and it turned out to be the positive cable end that connected to the fender relay. It had a crimped on cable end, and the cable corroded inside that end.

I'll only use soldered ends for now on. I HATE having to call tow trucks, which is what I had to do. I was in the neighboring town on a late saturday afternoon. No way home, nothing open.

 

If you don't have any power in the cab, the problem is not the starter solenoid.

Yes, check and clean your primary battery connections - at the battery, solenoid, and ground(s) at the engine (and frame, if applicable).

Corroded connections at the solenoid where the battery + cable is can result in no power in the cab, as can bad grounds, etc.

 

Thanks for the tips guys, cleaned off all the terminals, got a new solenoid under warranty, cleaned the connection to the block, charging the battery more right now, I'll get the connection going to the starter tomorrow when there's more light. Hopefully she will be fine after that!

 

All sounds good. Let me stress though, check the positive cable end that goes to the solenoid. Check that end good. Also, the cable end that goes to the frame. The cable can corrode INSIDE the crimped on end, and it's hard to tell sometimes.

Good luck!

 

Scraped that one pretty good with the wire brush, I hope that the insides arn't corroded to bad, those cables are only two years old! I got the battery charged, will hook everything back up in the morning and try again.

 

Let us know how it turn out.

 

Went out today and cleaned the connection at the starter, hooked all the connections and cables up, poured a bit of gas in the carb to help it fire up, she started right away Only thing I have to learn how to do is set the choke. I took it off when I rebuilt the carb and the spring unwound, and it's never been right since.

 

Great!!! Someone should be able to tell you about your choke. Thats something i dont know anything about. Glad you got it running though.

 

Thanks! I think I may buy a new choke.

*edit*

Just went out and messed around with it, think I may have dialed the choke in. A good cold start tomorrow morning should let me know!