need help again
#1
need help again
once again starter stopped working. went to 7-11 shut off disco went into store bought some snacks and went back out and key turns like normal lights light up but starter does not engage at all. nothing no noise or spinning I hear a clicking noise inside cab truck sat for about 2 hours then it started right up like nothing was ever wrong. HELP PLEASE my 17 year old wants to drive but worried about her getting stranded
#2
Can you recap for us everything you did to try to fix it the first time? I assume you had it working for a little while? What was it that got it working? Have you tried anything yet to fix it since the problem happened again? If so, what did you try?
I'm not at all trying to bust your chops about what you have or haven't done. If we know what measures you've already taken, and what did or didn't help the problem, then we can provide you with much better advice.
I'm not at all trying to bust your chops about what you have or haven't done. If we know what measures you've already taken, and what did or didn't help the problem, then we can provide you with much better advice.
#3
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Pittsburgh PA suburbs.
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Please take a look at my other postings regarding the starter ground connection. I had the same problem with my 97, it stranded me 5 or 6 times like that. I went so far as to buy a used replacement starter. As I was abut to replace existing starter, I found the ground connection to be severely corroded to the point of not being possible to even unbolt it.
I cut off the cable right at the ground terminal, stripped it, crimped on a good replacement terminal, repositioned it on the side of the frame, took a deburring bit from a dremel set and abraded the frame member to the base metal, drilled a pilot hole, then used a self-drilling body bolt with a large flared head to firmly attach the new terminal to the frame. You can even put a large flat washer under the bolt head to get a better contact area between the bolt head and terminal.
Since I redid the ground and replaced the battery (mine was several years old) an the battery ground cable with it relocated and attached the same way, I have NOT been stranded since.
I cannot guarantee this is your only problem, but I can assure you that doing this will improve whatever condition you do have and prevent you from possibly replacing a starter that is not bad and still have the same problem afterwards. In other words, do this first, it is cheap, easy and will eliminate the ground as a possible source.
I cut off the cable right at the ground terminal, stripped it, crimped on a good replacement terminal, repositioned it on the side of the frame, took a deburring bit from a dremel set and abraded the frame member to the base metal, drilled a pilot hole, then used a self-drilling body bolt with a large flared head to firmly attach the new terminal to the frame. You can even put a large flat washer under the bolt head to get a better contact area between the bolt head and terminal.
Since I redid the ground and replaced the battery (mine was several years old) an the battery ground cable with it relocated and attached the same way, I have NOT been stranded since.
I cannot guarantee this is your only problem, but I can assure you that doing this will improve whatever condition you do have and prevent you from possibly replacing a starter that is not bad and still have the same problem afterwards. In other words, do this first, it is cheap, easy and will eliminate the ground as a possible source.
#6
#8
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Hows your positive battery cable? Mine had corroded internally to the point where all I got was a click. Replaced it, and had em clean the ground connection at the starter and fixed it right up. Verify your connections. If it continues after your connections have been cleaned/verified it is likely a bad starter. Like Mike said they will go out at some point.
#10
When was the last time you had your battery replaced? If it's fairly new and tests bad, then that might give more reinforcement to one of the battery connections being bad. If a battery connection is corroded enough to not send current to the starter, it probably won't charge either.
If the problem is actually one of the starter connections, or the starter itself, then your battery should still be good.
If the problem is actually one of the starter connections, or the starter itself, then your battery should still be good.