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So at this point I've changed the battery, alternator, and starter. Turn key and it's just "click click click" in a uniform pattern. Try remote start and it's a single click. To me it seems something with starter or connections to it...
Truck had issue with starter in March, after changing out it has been running fine since. Sat at local shop a few weeks. When I went to get it it wouldn't start. They were able to jump it, negative terminal of jump box hooked to alternator bracket. I took out battery to exchange under warranty. Couldn't get truck to start. They were able to jump but this time had a second jump box hooked up across battery as well as original setup. At their recommendation I changed out the alternator (also under warranty). Still wouldn't start. I changed out the starter again thinking it was damaged somehow (under warranty). Still won't start. So I'm not sure what to check for now... Ground strap connection to starter?
So far luckily no loss in cash. Only time installing parts. It just bothers me so that they were able to jump it no problem both times (second time with two jump boxes) and I couldn't even jump it once (I tried one and two jump boxes). Just frustrating to feel like an idiot and watch other people at least be able to get it started.
Turn the headlights on and try to start it.
If the headlights go out when you try to crank it over,
either you don’t have enough battery or you have a poor battery connection.
Google “How to do voltage drop test” and do a voltage drop tests
between the positive battery POST (not the cable clamp) and the connection
where the positive cable connects to the starter motor.
Do the same between the negative battery POST and the starter motor frame.
Your looking for less than ~0.3 volts dropped on each side while cranking the engine over.
Turn the headlights on and try to start it.
If the headlights go out when you try to crank it over,
either you don’t have enough battery or you have a poor battery connection.
Google “How to do voltage drop test” and do a voltage drop tests
between the positive battery POST (not the cable clamp) and the connection
where the positive cable connects to the starter motor.
Do the same between the negative battery POST and the starter motor frame.
Your looking for less than ~0.3 volts dropped on each side while cranking the engine over.
Thanks for the advice. Turned on headlights, attempted to start truck. Tried turning it over 4 times, "click click click click" each time in even 0.5-1 second intervals. Headlights never died, not even a little.
Should I still do the voltage drop test? What would a drop (or not a drop) tell me? Possible that it's a bad connection at the starter itself, either positive, negative, or ground strap points? Or bad ground at the block or firewall?
I did notice that when replacing the starter the bolt that the grounding strap bolts on to was very rusted, next plan is to replace the bolt and see if the ground connection improves. Bolts are the cheapest parts to replace and don't break the bank...
Doing the voltage drop tests won’ t effect the bank account either ;-)
But doing them will tell you how good ALL the connection are on the power side and the ground side.
If both power and ground sides are each dropping ~0.3 volts that tells you the starter is sucking up the rest of the available voltage and it would be suspect.
On the other hand, say the ground side is dropping 3 or 4 volts, then halve the circuit and do a voltage drop on half the circuit. If it’s good, it’s the other half of the circuit.
^^^agreed do the drop test . Replacing battery cables both may follow ,good clean grounds are important . Don't use cheap battery clamps . The test is where you may learn your true problem . The lights not dipping tells you the starter is not trying . Find the solenoid wire and see if its getting the full twelve volt signal if not jump it and see if it will crank . Of course a bad grd can cause all of this . Next a start relay may be needed .
Thanks to everyone for all the help, turns out it was a bad ground at the grounding strap bolt. So rusted I had to dremmel off the nut. New bolt, starts as strong as ever.
On to the next issue... It never ends with this truck.
05-23-2018, 01:49 AM
