Truck won't Start
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
From: Idaho
Truck won't Start
My truck has been sitting about a year, and when I turn the key, I get a really fast ticking sound out of the starter. So naturally, I tried to jump it. It actually slowed the ticking down and the cables got pretty warm. I double check the connection, yes I hooked them up right. So, is the starter bad, or do I have a bad connection someplace?
I also rotated the motor by hand to ensure it wasn't stiff.
I also rotated the motor by hand to ensure it wasn't stiff.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,338
Likes: 6
From: UPSTATE NY
take that positive jumper cable and hook it up directly to the cable that runs down to your starter and see if it will turn over. or if your battery is good just hook that cable that runs to the starter directly to the positive terminal. this is basically what happens when you turn the key. if it doesnt turn over then your starter is bad. but your problem is probly just the relay, connection, battery, or something else. if cables get too warm its because of excessive current problem which can be caused by many things.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
From: Idaho
When I used the battery jumper the box under the horn on the passenger side made some a loud noise that sounded like voltage humming. The fast clicking sound is coming out of the solenoid. Could that box under the horn be causing the issue. I think its the voltage regulator which would let to much current through the solenoid. I already tested the starter.
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: Austin Texas
i think i had this problem on my lawnmower once... heres what i did
i could turn the key but it would tick, or turn very slowly. after a couple days it would just tick. i bought a new battery and charged it, didn't work. so i put a cable from the battery to the starter and nothing happened. so that tells me the starter is bad. i got a new starter and that solved the problem. if that wire would make the connection, you know you have a bad solinoid. my starter was locked up and thats what i replaced and it worked.
maybe this helped.
i could turn the key but it would tick, or turn very slowly. after a couple days it would just tick. i bought a new battery and charged it, didn't work. so i put a cable from the battery to the starter and nothing happened. so that tells me the starter is bad. i got a new starter and that solved the problem. if that wire would make the connection, you know you have a bad solinoid. my starter was locked up and thats what i replaced and it worked.
maybe this helped.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
From: Idaho
Ok, I jumped directly from the battery to the other side of the solenoid, nothing. Ran the jumper directly to the starter and touched the battery, nothing. I didn't have the key on, but that shouldn't make a difference. Regardless of what the tester says it has to be the starter.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,724
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From: Butler, IN
Guess you will be getting your hands dirty pulling the starter. When you get it off, put a positive cable on the cable stud and a negative cable to the starter case. Make sure you have the battery hooked up first because the battery doesn't like sparks. The starter should spin freely. That is the way I test starters or let the local autozoo check it for you.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Butler, IN
For some reason it is pulling too many amps for the cables to get hot. Next check the cable leading to the starter and also look to make sure the ground cable to the block is clean. The cable at the back of the engine to the firewall may have come disconnected. Sounds to me like a ground issue.
