Went to fuel up couple of weeks ago and when I got back in my '01 , she just went 'click'.... nothing happened.... I tried the key several more times (nothing), I went back inside and called for a tow and then went back out...fired right up.

I drove the truck 5 days and with no problems after checking batts and the conections on the starter. Did it again... 'click' no start. I knew that the starter was less than a year old and it was 'rebuilt' by a trusted friend. A friend was beside me and we put 'jumper' cables on it for an extra boost and it fired up.

I took it home and decided to pull the starter off and clean everything and get it load tested....The starter has the starter solenoid on it and the posts had a lot of 'green' on it.... I did not put enough 'liquid wrench' on the threads and nut and ended up twisting (and breaking) the post right out of the plastic housing. Took the starter back to my friend and he put a new starter solenoid on it and checked the bushing, ect, greased it up and said that it was in great shape.

Problem Fixed? Told the wife it was.... drove fine for a week. Friday the wife drove it to her work and she went out for lunch... after her lunch I get an angry call.... "truck #### 'click' ### no### start..." we work close together and a friend gave me a ride over to the truck and she fired right up....

Sunday it did the same no start...

this morning ... fired right up, no problem...

Suggestions?

 

You may have a dead spot in the windings in the starter motor. When the starter stops on the dead spot it will click but not turn. After cooling which causes the open to close or enough clicks causing the starter to turn slightly, it will work fine until the next time it stops on the dead spot. Or you may have bad ground connections on the battery cables to the truck. Disconnect the ground cables from the truck, clean the surfaces well, reassemble and that may do the trick. Sounds like this may be a trial and error search. Good luck!

 

i believe there is a solenoid on the fender that runs the it, dont know why it has two but it might be bad if not the stater.

 

Did you test your batteries seperately, not connected to the truck. My truck did kinda the same thing. It would start when she felt like it and not at other times. Usually when I needed my truck the worst. I replaced both batteries and found that one was dead. Problem fixed. Good luck

 

Both Batteries were replaced less than two years ago. I will recheck them.

I did not know that there was another solenoid (relay?) on the fender. I will look for it and see what I can find.

About a dead spot in the starter? It does to not have any problem starting when it is 'cold', but the time that I 'jumped' it, it had set for two hours. I am not really sure if the 'jump' had anything to do with helping it start.... but it started up when we tried to start it with the cables on. I will check the battery grounds.

I wonder if the ignition switch may be going bad? All of the dash lights and GPR comes on.

Thank-you for your suggestions and any more that come.