click no start issue
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 215
Likes: 1
From: NM
click no start issue
The 78 f150 isn't starting. There is a click at solenoid relay. I replaced the solenenoid, no change. I pulled the stater, releaized the cable was bad and starter fried.
Replaced starter and put on new starter cable. Still a click at solenoid. The battery charger tests 100%. Any ideas?
Replaced starter and put on new starter cable. Still a click at solenoid. The battery charger tests 100%. Any ideas?
New User
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Washington, Tacoma area
Worst case scenario, is the engine seized. Put a socket on the harmonic balancer bolt and try to turn the engine over. If it turns over, yay, good engine, if not, well I'm sorry. Other wise, like the other post said, it is probably in the connections. Check all of them, including ground(s). Good luck.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
The thing about electrical connections, if they look corroded they have either failed altogether or soon will. Especially a problem in salted wintertime road conditions. But they will get electrically wonky before they start to visibly corrode. When people say "check grounds" what they really mean to say is put a wrench on them and break it free, and clean up the hardware, frame or block, etc.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,512
Likes: 3
From: Panama City
A very old mechanic told me in 1982 (I think) that 95% of all electrical problems were ground related and I have found that to be true. Like he said ^^ dont just tug on em, take em apart and wire brush em and tighten the dookie out of em.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 215
Likes: 1
From: NM
Just jumped it it started, tested alternator it works. The positive post was a bit chewed drove it to parts shop replaced the battery. It just clicked. I then replaced regulator nothing. Jumped it got it home.
Before jumping didn't work.
Any ideas? Now it starts after a jump, the ignition shows juice. Could it be the modulator. Nothing looks corrodded or dirty.
Before jumping didn't work.
Any ideas? Now it starts after a jump, the ignition shows juice. Could it be the modulator. Nothing looks corrodded or dirty.
Last edited by dentsides; May 2, 2014 at 05:48 PM. Reason: left something out
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MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
What is the "ignition" and what is "juice"? If you're measuring a voltage, report exactly where the voltage is measured, and the number.
The ignition system has nothing to do with the starting system.
Turn on the headlights. Measure the voltage across the battery posts. Then move the positive lead to the battery side of the solenoid and measure that voltage with respect to the negative battery terminal. Report both numbers.
If you don't own a multimeter, get one. It costs $6. I can't help you otherwise.
The ignition system has nothing to do with the starting system.
Turn on the headlights. Measure the voltage across the battery posts. Then move the positive lead to the battery side of the solenoid and measure that voltage with respect to the negative battery terminal. Report both numbers.
If you don't own a multimeter, get one. It costs $6. I can't help you otherwise.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 215
Likes: 1
From: NM
After a drink, went out and looked again. The positive showed some wear, although it was clean. Switched it, started right up.
Thanks for the help. A new ground to the starter is next on my to do list after I change a leaky tire.
Thanks for the help. A new ground to the starter is next on my to do list after I change a leaky tire.
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
The starter grounds by virtue of bolting to the bellhousing. No cable can come close to that in terms of impedance.Something tells me this problem is going to creep up later on because you didn't do your homework. Pulling the cable off and back on doesn't change its electrical properties. You'll be back.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 215
Likes: 1
From: NM
The starter grounds by virtue of bolting to the bellhousing. No cable can come close to that in terms of impedance.Something tells me this problem is going to creep up later on because you didn't do your homework. Pulling the cable off and back on doesn't change its electrical properties. You'll be back.
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
It certainly could be; finding out would have been the goal of the test I outlined. It would have proven or disproven the positive cable. Now that it's running, the problem is hiding, so you wouldn't be able to smoke it out unless it happens again.
Battery cables can look just fine on the outside, but corrode inside the crimp connection. In this case, any movement in the cable can make or break the connection. Automotive electrical systems are relatively low voltage and high current, which means even a few ohms can disable the vehicle. It's very easy to develop a few ohms along a wire subject to engine bay and/or environmental conditions.
This same thing happened to me last week actually. The cable looked fine, but based on how it was bent, it's resistance could climb up to 10 ohms. The test I told you to do helped me spot that very quickly and the longest part of solving the problem was simply waiting at the red light to turn into the parts store. A starter can draw on the order of 200 amps. When only 12 volts are available in the first place, it takes a fractional amount of resistance to pull that starter voltage straight down to zero.
Battery cables can look just fine on the outside, but corrode inside the crimp connection. In this case, any movement in the cable can make or break the connection. Automotive electrical systems are relatively low voltage and high current, which means even a few ohms can disable the vehicle. It's very easy to develop a few ohms along a wire subject to engine bay and/or environmental conditions.
This same thing happened to me last week actually. The cable looked fine, but based on how it was bent, it's resistance could climb up to 10 ohms. The test I told you to do helped me spot that very quickly and the longest part of solving the problem was simply waiting at the red light to turn into the parts store. A starter can draw on the order of 200 amps. When only 12 volts are available in the first place, it takes a fractional amount of resistance to pull that starter voltage straight down to zero.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
A bad or failing positive cable/connection could absolutely make starting more difficult because it is sapping electrons from the ignition circuit at the very moment of highest current demand ... the older truck manuals spec 500 to 900 amps starting draw for V8, that's quite a lot of juice in a split second! Good cables and ground connections all around, I call it the $20 tune-up, it's good insurance.
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