okay, this might not be the right place for this thread, but here goes anyway. my starter has been lagging the last couple days, like it would barely turn it. well, yesterday it barely started when i came to leave work. as i was coasting, i turned it off to see if it would crank (clutch in) and it wouldn't even start the engine. I clutched it and got it goin, but i did this five times and it never started once. I parked it in my driveway, and it wouldnt start again, but just kinda clicked instead. I waited a couple hours, and it cranked weak, but my engine always fires up quick, so it was enough. turned it right off, and it wouldnt start again. I pulled the starter and took it to the parts store, and they tested it, and said it's fine, even though they dont put a load on for it to turn. I put it in and it only clicked, hooked up the charger/booster to the bat. and made no diff.

Now, this starter is only like 3 months old, cause my last starter fried from the headers. (I did pick up some heat shielding today)

If the parts store is right, is there anything else that could cause my problem? thanks

 

If your battery is toast a charger/booster will not be enough. It sounds like you need a new battery. You can take it to the parts store and they will test it for you.

 

Sorry forgot a couple of things. Check your battery connections and cables. loose or corroded ends will do the same thing.

 

yeah, i checked those. i put new bat wires on about the same time i put the starter in. even the 200amp on the booster wont be enough?

 

Moved to the electrical guru section.

 

Turn your headlights on, and get someone to try to start the truck for you. Or if it is dark, you can do it by yourself.

If the headlights go completely out when the truck makes the "clicking" noise, then it is your battery, or your battery cables. Check the connection at the starter relay and the ground connection at the block too. Jump out real quick and see if you have any hot spots at the cable ends.

If your headlights stayed fairly bright, but it still just "clicks" then I would suspect your starter relay may be bad, or the cable from the starter relay to the starter may be bad, or possibly the starter.

 

thanks, thats a good idea. im gonna put my starter back in and try that now

 

nah, i hooked up with jumpers to my dad's trailblazer (yeah, a chevy) and it started up fine. argg. as it ran, the headlights still were dim. so, correct me if im wrong, but dim lights when its running means alternator, right? thanks

 

If you have a voltmeter, you need to check the battery voltage with the truck off. It should be somewhere around 12 volts. If it is something like 10 volts, you have a dead cell.

Next step:

With the truck running, you should have a higher voltage than 12. If it is 12 or lower, then there is something wrong with the alternator.

I assume the lights were dim when you tried the headlight/starting test in the previous post. This points to the battery being very low. It may be exhausted from trying to keep up the past couple of days, or it may be bad. A good over night charge may be in order if you are getting around 12 volts. 10 volts or lower, and the battery is history.

 

That could be right. Boost it again to start. Use a meter at the battery to see if you are getting 14+ volts. If not, change the alternator. If yes, change the battery.
AL.

 

I assume you are working on a '74? If you decide it's not charging enough, keep in mind that there is a seperate voltage regulator mounted near the battery - replace this before the alt - it's cheaper and is usually more of a problem than the alt.

Marty

 

hmm, i didnt know about that. well, i took the alternator to schuck's and they tested it, saying that it failed. i hope this fixes it and that those hooligans didnt just screw up, but since the lights were dim even when it was running, i assume it was the alternator. on my way to put it in now.

 

A fully charged battery with no load should show REAL close to 12.6 volts. After a full night or day on a charger, shut off charge and wait a couple of minutes and check voltage. If it varies much from this it's bad. Also, most charging systems in good order will run about 14-14.5 volts at the battery posts when running with no lights, AC, etc. to load it down. Full load, (all accessories on) it should stay at least 1 volt over battery voltage (approx. 13.5). If you don't get that, alternator is not doing it's job. Sounds like you've got at least the alternator pegged, but check the battery as well after a good charge. Sometimes they go out together. (Bad cell puts too much load on alternator and fries it, or bad alternator cooks a cell, or lets it get too low.) It's hard to say which happens first, or what causes which, but I've replaced both in the same week more than once, and had MANY customers have the same situation. I usually recommend checking battery voltage first, and if low, slow-charge overnight and re-try it. Then, if battery voltage looks okay, start up and do the alternator voltage check. Checking everything at the first hint of a problem often saves some money in the long run.

 

alright, still havin probs and finally have time to work on it. i want to know how i can check if the alternator is givin out charge. i jus need to know which terminals i would touch to it to find out. when i took my alternator in it tested bad, but the new one isn't charging the bat, so i'm thinking voltage reg, but i jus want to test stuff. thanks

 

If you have a voltmeter, you need to check the battery voltage with the truck off. It should be somewhere around 12 volts.

With the truck running, you should have a higher voltage than 12. If it is 12 or lower, then there is something wrong with the alternator