[Spencnaz]

Truck has been acting up. It all started with the engine turning over really slowly. I'd get out and wiggle the driver's side ground cable to the block, jump back in and hit the key to have it start normally.

The problem has gotten progressively worse. Now I only get a click from the starting solenoid. I checked the batteries for voltage and they're both over 13 volts.

I wanted to buy a ground at the local auto parts store, but all they had was some wimpy 4 gauge line that wasn't even close to the stock one. Of course it didn't even have the proper size lug on the end to handle the huge bolt that connects it to the block.

I'm stumped, I put the ground line back in after cleaning all the terminals and checking the starting solenoid on the passenger side fender well.

I've got voltage to everything else, but when you try to start all you get is a loud click.

Is the ground line bad? I'm starting to think so as the wiggling was enabling the engine to start. There's continuity, but I guess that doesn't mean anything if there is a high amperage load going through it to start.

As always, your help is much appreciated.

 

[WhiteGardens]

How old is the starter???

Sounds like the symptoms I had when the starter went south. Replacing the starter solved the problem.

 

[chuckster57]

The wire inside has probably corroded. You can't see it cause of the insulation but as you said, these trucks require lots of current to run the GP's and the starter. 12 Volts showing on a test meter just means you have the votage not the AMPS. You can load test the batteries to see if you have one that is weak. If you got it to go with a wiggle I would be looking at changing the wires.

 

[arthurgoboom]

It might be possible that you have corrosion in the positive cable going from the passenger battery down to the starter. The starter solenoid on the fender gets its power from the small wire coming off of the positive terminal end on the passenger cable (which would make the solenoid click). Might be closing the solenoids but nothing is actually getting to the starter.

I'd slice into the insulation on the ends of your ground and positive cables to look for that green statue of liberty copper corrosion up inside the cables. If they look good you can always tape them back together.

 

[Spencnaz]

I'll have a look at it tomorrow morning. The good news is that I have another set of wheels to get around with.

The negative cable on the driver's battery looked good and I could see shiny copper in where I could see.

 

[Spencnaz]

I'm going to pull the starter as soon as the snow stops falling, it's just too cold right now to work on it.

I'll take the starter to a local parts store and have them test it.

 

[Spencnaz]

The starter was bad, it would spin but that was without any sort of load on it. So I replaced the starter with a remanned one and it lit right off.