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Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 842
Likes: 1
From: Georgia
Starter
Since I've had my truck, we have had a bad battery drain. I'm thinking the starter could possibly be grounding it out because the starter has a huge dent in it and seems like it drags every time I try to start it. I'm not sure why the PO put a dent in it, clear the header maybe? Could the starter ground out the battery? Today I drove it for 30 minutes down our dirt road and 30 minutes later I try to start it and nothing but the solenoid makes noise 
! I'm probably going to replace the starter anyway because of that dent but I hope that's what could be causing the problem. Any thoughts? Thanks.
! I'm probably going to replace the starter anyway because of that dent but I hope that's what could be causing the problem. Any thoughts? Thanks.
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
No, this is not possible. The starter solenoid completely cuts off power to the starter once you release the key. The two problems are unrelated. The dragging starter is due to a bad starter, heat soak (you mentioned header clearance), low battery voltage, or unwanted resistance in the cable path. The battery drain is a parasitic draw. You can identify a parasitic draw by removing the negative battery cable while the truck is off, and connecting a test light in series with the negative battery post and the cable. If you have a parasitic draw, the light will illuminate. You can identify the culprit by removing fuses one at a time. When the light goes out, you've found the circuit that's draining the battery. Make sure you do this with the obvious stuff shut off (for example, doing this test with the door open and the dome light on will turn on the test light).
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 519
Likes: 1
From: Bountiful UT
I don't see any way the starter can cause a drain on the battery, there is no power going to or coming from the starter except when cranking.
I would get a new one like you said because of the dent in the one you have now
(dangit FMC and I posted at the same time, he explains things much better)
I would get a new one like you said because of the dent in the one you have now
(dangit FMC and I posted at the same time, he explains things much better)
