So, my old starter went out a month or two ago. I got a replacement from car quest. I bolted the starter up, and went to hook the batteries up, and it's like something shorted out, and the battery clamp arced and gouged my battery terminal. But when I unhooked the power wire from the starter, I can hook the batteries up no problem. I checked all the the wires in that area, and replaced the starter solenoid, just because it was old anyway. Same problem. So I got car quest to warrantee out the starter. The 2nd one didn't have a problem. It worked fine up until yesterday. On my way home from work, I had the radio on, and I used the turn signal, and all the electronics and guages went dead. Somehow, the truck stayed running till I got home. After I shut it off, I tried turning the key, and nothing. I checked the batteries, and they were hot. Checked them with a volt meter, and they were 1.4 volts each. I took them out of the truck, and after they cooled, they were at 11. I know I shouldn't throw parts at the problem, but I figured voltage regulator, and it was really old too, so replaced that, and warenteed out my alternator, because the bearing was making noise and giving me headaches. So I go to hook the batteries up, and it did the same thing as before. Unhooked the starter, and no problem. So my question. Since the starter is the common denominator, have you guys ever heard of that happening? Or should I be looking at other things?

Also, about a year ago, when my dad drove the truck, he had to do a quick hillbilly fix to get home, and hooked up a push button for engaging the starter, and I've never hooked that back up the right way. But the original starter that went out never had the problem the last two have had, so it's not that.

 

very well could be the starter, but it could also be the battery cable into the starter is shifted and shorting out. it is very easy to put the cable on at an angle where it will hit a ground point shorting it out.

 

Well obviously it's some kind of short.

Most likely something in the wiring rather than the starter itself, like Tom suggested.

 

It was the wire going to the starter. I missed the bad spot the first time because it had some oil on it. Anyway I hooked things up right and got rid of the push button too. Checked some other stuff out too and replaced some other bad wires I found too

 

good job!!!

 

I know, I'm an air head. I should have gone over everything sooner/better. This ol girl needs a few things anyway and it's been slowly coming around. Thanks for the suggestions

 

can't completely blame yourself, the last starter i put in went 5 years before the wire loosened up and twisted shorting out.