HAVE A 90 7.3 IDI.

FROM THE BEGINNING, 2 MONTHS AGO I REPLACED BOTH BATTS AND THER CONNECTIONS. THEN IT WAS FINE TILL BOUT TWO WEEKS AGO I DROVE TO WORK IN THE MORN. WENT TO LUNCH THEN WHEN I TRIED TO START IT TO GO BACK TO WORK IT WAS DEAD, SO I GOT A JUMP AND DROVE STRAIGHT TO AUTOZONE TO HAVE THE SYSTEM CHECKED, THEY TOLD ME MY VOLTAGE REGULATOR WAS BAD, SO I REPLACED IT AND THE GROUND CONNECTION FOR IT. I COULDNT TELL IF THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE AT THE TIME CUZ THE BATTS WERE DRAINED NEWAYS (SEEMED LIKE ALTERNATOR TO ME) SO THAT NIGHT I CHARGED THE BATTS AND IT STARTED JUST FINE. SINCE I CHARGED THEM IVE ONLY DRIVEN THE TRUCK LIKE 3 TIMES.. EACH TIME IT WAS FINE... SO IT WAS STILL A MYSTERY TO ME WHAT WAS ACTUALLY WRONG, BUT I PUT IT ON THE BACK BURNER.

NOW I TRY TO GO AND START IT AND IT WONT EVEN BEGIN TO TURNOVER... BUT BATT LEVEL SEEMS OK CUZ THE RADIO, WINDOWS, LIGHTS, ALL WORK, BUT I TRY N TURN THE KEY AND ALL I GET IS ONE CLICK...

HELP!

 

Sounds like a bad connection on the cables somewhere, but the lights, windows, radio, etc does not pull or require near the amps the starter does, so the batteries could be low too or one haveing a bad cell would pull the other one down.

 

I SEE WHAT UR SAYIN BUT WHAT COULD THE ODDS BE SINCE BOTH BATTS ARE BRAND NEW..

COULD THE ALTERNATOR BE CAUSIN THIS?

 

Starter maybe? Have you checked that?

 

I THOUGHT MAYBE STARTER TOO, BUT IT HASNT GIVEN ME ANY NOTICE PREVIOUSLY THAT ITS ON ITS WAY OUT.. USUALLY THEY DO..

BUT HOW WOULD I GO ABOUT CHECKING IT?

 

How are the battery cables and are the connections clean?

 

YA THER ALL CLEAN.. AND THEY WERE ALL REPLACED WHEN I GOT THE NEW BATTERIES.

I ALSO PUT SOME PURPLE SPRAY PROTECTANT ON EM..

ITS REALLY WIERD WHATS GOIN ON.. CUZ NOW IM TRYIN TO JUMP IT AND NOTHIN HAPPENS STILL..

I TURN THE KEY AND ALL I HEAR IS A CLICK.. THE CLICK SOUNDS LIKE ITS COMIN FROM THE ENGINE AREA...

 

If it won't jump check where the grounds hook to the block on each side too. Also check the connections on the starter too. You can whack the starter sometimes and get one or two more starts out of it.

 

i vote starter, you have to check it either by removing it and getting it tested or believing me when i say that if you are hearing a click that the solenoid in the starter is probably worn. if your rig is manual, put it in gear and rock it back and forth by pushing it. If it will start after that, then you have a flat spot or worn solenoid contacts. If it isnt your starter, it may be the neutral safety switch. Another way off idea is that if you are automatic, your shift lever has come loose and is not engaging park so it wont start at all. Try pushing it up and pulling it down a few times and on the last up movement, push it up firmly and hold it, then try to start it again. If it works then, get under there and find the two bolts that hold it in place and crank em tight. Best luck bro!!

 

you need to be specific when you say whack, it is a tap, not a whack. If it isnt the starter, you can kill it. Do that LAST!!!

 

To me it sounds like your batteries are just completely discharged. Jump starting isn't going to do the trick. Charge them back up to full and see what happens. If it starts, then you're not charging, or you have a drain.

This is how you check these. You need a multimeter.

Set your multimeter to DC Voltage in the 20 volt range or near this. Must be greater than 14. With the engine running and all cables hooked up, touch the multimeter terminals one to each battery terminal. Don't worry about getting them backwards, it'll give you the same number only negative. You're looking for 13-14V. If it's not at least 13 try checking the voltage again while the engine is at a slight rev. Nothing? then it isn't charging.

To check for a drain, shut the engine down and disconnect the positive cable from both batteries. Set your multimeter to Current (Amps) starting in a high range (200). Hold the terminals of your multimeter in series between a + battery post and your + cable. What i mean is hold one lead on the post and the other on the + cable terminal. Again, having them backwards won't matter. If the reading is zero lower the range to somewhere around 2 or 20 amps and check again. If still zero, then there is no drain!

 

Use a set of cables and jump the positive from battery to battery... mine was heavily corroded on the drivers side positive inside the insulation and it would cause it to just faintly click intermittently. I used jumper cables a couple times to get it to start until I finally cut back 2" of insulation and soaked the cable in baking soda until it was clean.

 

LMAO I didn't mean to whack it with one of joes hammers.
Rocking the truck back and forth with it in gear only works if the starter is hung in the ring gear or if there are some teeth missing off the flywheel.

Testing starter output with a volt meter works to a point but doesn't mean the alternator is good because it is putting out 14 volts, It can put out 14 volts at 5 amps and still be running the battery down when you have the lights.

If the jumper cables are making contact you should still get a grunt out of it instead of just a click. Either the selonoid is junk or you have a bad connection somewhere.
Is the click coming from the relay on the fender or the selonoid on the starter.