[Duren]

This happened once approx 1 year ago, started right up and didn't have any other problems. Drove it to the mechanic a few days later to have it checked out, couldn't find anything wrong.

A few days ago was driving in town and it died but now wont re-start. Had to have it towed back to the house. Recently moved so my old mechanic that knows the truck isn't an option and I have some new mobile guy coming out Wednesday to look at it.

I admittedly dont know much so I'm trying to educate myself before this guy comes out.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Please feel free to dumb it down for me

 

[Steve83]

Define "won't re-start". Does the key not turn in the lock cylinder? Or does it start & run for a few seconds, and then stall? Or something in-between? Be specific & descriptive. Does the starter spin at normal speed? Does the tachometer move? Does the WTS light come on as normal? Does the CEL come on as normal?

 

[bugman]

Start with the basics.

Are you getting the wait to start light?

When it died just it shut off or chugged like it was out of fuel?

When you are trying to start is there any movement of the tach?

 

[Duren]

When trying to start the lights come on but wont turn over, just clicks.

Both times when it died (a year ago and recently) its like it just shut off, no sputtering or chugging. In fact I didnt even realize what had happened until I started slowing down and had no steering.

Had 1 full tank and was running on a tank that was over 1/2 full.

 

[bugman]

Is is the starter that is clicking or is it a relay?

If it is the starter then is it possibly the batteries or starter, if it is a relay you can try jumping the fender mounted relay to see if it will start.

The PCM needs a minimum of 10 volts to turn on and if your batteries are below that it will never start, that could also be why it just clicks when you turn the key.

 

[Duren]

I apologize, I dont know enough to say if its the starter or the relay that is clicking.

Both batteries are only about a year old - is this common for them to go out like that IF thats what the problem ends up being?

 

[bugman]

Without running some test it would be hard to come up with just what it is.

If you are taking short trips and not allowing the batteries to get close to a full charge then it could be the batteries.

Starters have a lifespan that no one can predict. It would be nice if they could say that they will last 100,000 starts but that just doesn't happen.

But with it just shutting down I would suspect something electrical instead of mechanical.

 

[Duren]

What you said about the batteries makes sense. Its not a daily driver. Sometimes it'll sit for over a month or two without being driven. I literally just use it to haul horses. The day it died it hadnt been driven in about 6 weeks and it was just a quick trip to the post office because someone else had by daily driver.

Since I dont know this new mechanic at all and I am not knowledgeable, is there anything I should look our for so I dont get scammed?

 

[bugman]

My truck will also sit for a month at a time during the winters here.

To help out the batteries I installed a battery maintainer that is plugged in and topping off the batteries whenever it is near the main unit. Even after a good long drive that maintainer will tell me that the batteries need a slight charge to get them up to where they should be.

Anymore when I take my truck out for a drive I try to put at least 10 or more miles on it before I put it to bed again.

 

[Duren]

Thank you so much!

I'm hoping its just a battery issue. I'm supposed to haul up to the Ozark Mountains in 2 weeks. Would be nice if it was an easy fix.

Is the battery maintainer something I can do myself (keeping in mind I know zero about mechanics)?

 

[1997VAstroker]

I would start buy having your batteries tested. To see if they are low, not bad maybe just low and in need of a good charge. Most parts stores will do this if you are not capable, they will sometimes even charge them for you. Sitting is never good for anything ,I am guilty of this myself. I just had to charge one of my SUV's batteries due to lack of use.
I am curious of why it would shut off while running, I would have the alternator tested too once you get it running. It should keep the truck running after the batteries start it. I am with Bugman it sounds electrical. If you do have this mechanic come check your truck out make sure he has the right code reader to scan for any engine codes that may or may not show up.
Also do you know if the truck has any performance tuners or chips, they can fail and cause problems
And is it auto of manual transmission?

 

[bugman]

Let the mechanic take a look at it and see what they come up with.

On the battery maintainer, mine came with two different ways to connect to the batteries. It had alligator clamps and a cable with eye terminals on the ends. I used the eye terminals and connected the positive to the fender mounted relay and grounded the other for a permanent mounting. I then ran the cable outside of the engine compartment to just above the right side headlight. That is where I connect the maintainer at. You can get a longer cable if you want to run it out on the drivers side.

Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk

 

[Duren]

I've only had her about 5 years. No chips or performance upgrades that I'm aware of.
Auto Transmission, was replaced about a year before I bought it.

 

[Craig Alberts]

CPS

 

[Steve83]

I dont know enough to say if its the starter or the relay that is clicking.

Have an assistant turn the key while you listen/feel under the hood. The starter relay is screwed to the inner fender just behind the Right battery. You can rest a finger on top to feel if it's the source of the clicking.

Both batteries are only about a year old - is this common for them to go out like that IF thats what the problem ends up being?

New isn't necessarily good - what brand/size/CCA are they? And what condition are their terminals in? These are VERY bad:

(click this text)


This one wasn't great, so I replaced them all later (as linked below the pic):

(click this text)

 

[Craig Alberts]

You can test the relay by just shorting across the 2 large terminals with a metal object...if the starter then "works" - your relay is not working.