7.3 won't start

[oldblue05]

Been having trouble starting my truck for about a week, it acts like the batteries are low and will barely turn the motor over, and had one bad glow plug causing hard starts as well. Been using ether or parking on a hill for the time as I'm out in the country working and had not gone into town. So I replace the glow plug first thing this morning, turn the key and the WTS light stays on for a few seconds(finally) like they are working... I then turn the key to start and it lugs the starter motor even slower, I had put the batteries on charge and they showed to have around 12.4 volts(two optima red tops that are 4 years old) I then figure they are just shot and going dead when I try to crank, so I get new batteries(same opitma red tops) and the starter won't even turn the motor over now... the new batteries didn't make the slightest difference... all thats left is the starter and solenoid on the quarter panel... please help I'm plannin on drivin 3 hours south this evening for a job interview tomorrow...

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

Sounds like the starter is toast. take it off and go to a-zone or the like and get it tested. make sure ALL the connections are nice and clean, it makes a huge difference.

 

[hesutton]

The solenoid can be jumped. If that makes the truck start normally, buy a new one. If it doesn't change a thing, start looking for a rebuilt starter.

Heath

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

I'm assuming you've already checked the condition of the battery cables, I'd bet on a bad starter as well.

 

[philofab]

Don't forget to check the ground side of everything. Are both your battery negatives tied to the engine block?

 

[oldblue05]

The battery wires are only a few years old and in good condition, I jumped the solenoid and nothing changed. Lined up another set of wheels, I'll just have to put this thing on the back burner and hope I get the job to fund a newer second truck... so I can run parts for this one

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[skidoerr]

i had the same thing and it was the alternator. sucked all the juice from the battieris for the glow plugs and would barely turn over.

 

[sandrow]

mine did that and itruined the starter but it wasn't the cause.The cause was on the underside of my cable harness it had a bunch of little cracks in it. Nothing that would bother a gas rig but the high compression of a diesel draws WAY more power thus the starter gets hotter and fries. After that incident I never had any more problems.

 

[oldblue05]

Ok so it was the starter, luckily O'reilly's warranties their starters lifetime so other than the inconvenience of not having a truck and changing a starter it was a free fix... or so I thought, now the key will not turn the truck on but if I jump the solenoid it will fire right up. I checked the wire coming from the ignition switch(pink and blue or something like that), it gets voltage when it's supposed to through a voltmeter when properly grounded, but if I put the ground lead from the meter to the solenoid post where that wire connects and the pos lead from the meter to the wire from the ignition switch nothing is read on the meter, from what I can figure is that the solenoid is now dead. Does this sound accurate?

 

[Goofyexponent]

Put the ground lead on the ground on teh battery...THEN test that wire from the key switch. If you have voltage, test it with a small light bulb....like a tail light bulb....voltage and amps are two different things....you migh tnot have enough amps left in that wire to engage the solenopid, but enough to light up your meter. Understand what I am trying to say?

If that checks out, make sure that teh starter solenoid is grounded....it needs to ground through the two bolts mounting it to the fender to make a complete circuit. If it's drit behind there, it won't work!!

try a live wire from the battery to that post on teh solenoid if all else fails...this will confirm OR deny it working right!

 

[oldblue05]

Thats what the problem is, I pulled it off the fender to look at it last thurs, it is now sitting on the inner fender well...

 

[philofab]

Ok so it was the starter, luckily O'reilly's warranties their starters lifetime so other than the inconvenience of not having a truck and changing a starter it was a free fix... or so I thought, now the key will not turn the truck on but if I jump the solenoid it will fire right up. I checked the wire coming from the ignition switch(pink and blue or something like that), it gets voltage when it's supposed to through a voltmeter when properly grounded, but if I put the ground lead from the meter to the solenoid post where that wire connects and the pos lead from the meter to the wire from the ignition switch nothing is read on the meter, from what I can figure is that the solenoid is now dead. Does this sound accurate?

Test the solenoid by providing 12v + to the small terminal with a test lead and see if that activated the solenoid and turns the starter over.

 

[Goofyexponent]

Thats what the problem is, I pulled it off the fender to look at it last thurs, it is now sitting on the inner fender well...

We've ALL had those days....I bet if you bolt that thing back on, you won't have any more issues!

 

[oldblue05]

Put the ground lead on the ground on teh battery...THEN test that wire from the key switch. If you have voltage, test it with a small light bulb....like a tail light bulb....voltage and amps are two different things....you migh tnot have enough amps left in that wire to engage the solenopid, but enough to light up your meter. Understand what I am trying to say?



try a live wire from the battery to that post on teh solenoid if all else fails...this will confirm OR deny it working right!

I know what you were trying to say, originally I had the neg lead to the neg battery terminal, when I turned the key it showed voltage. Then I put the neg lead on the solenoid post where the wire I pulled that came from and with the pos lead still on the wire from the switch. If I am correct and the solenoid works when I turn the key to START the meter should've shown voltage... right?

We've ALL had those days....I bet if you bolt that thing back on, you won't have any more issues!

I did and it does.