Embarrassing jumpstart mistake...need help

[theSHERPA]

To my dismay, I had to jumpstart the beast the other day when I went to move my truck in the driveway. Took some time, but finally got her fired up with the assistance of my Dodge 2500.

Fast forward to this morning. Came home from a 14 hour shift, and decided to see if the beast would start after letting her run for a while the day prior to charge up the batteries. Why I decided I had to test this while basically in a sleep coma, I don't know. At any rate, it would not turn over--just click. Mistake number 2 was attempting to jumpstart the truck while in a sleep coma. You guessed it--I hooked up the leads backwards on my jump box and tried to cracnk it up. Probably hooked up for 20-30 seconds--long enought to walk around and try to start, and then walk back around to see smoke coming from the leads of the jump box--the copper teeth were melting through the plastic. Quickly disconnected, said a few choice words my neighbors were probably not thrilled about, and hooked back up the right way. Wound up using the Dodge again to jump off both batteries.

So I finally got the batteries charged up enough to crank the engine over, and that's all it does. Crank and crank, but does not catch. I figure I fried something in the ignition system? It started 2 days ago, so it has to be my jumpstart abortion that killed it. Can anyone give me any helpful tips on what solenoids or fuses I need to check to get her started again. I am not even sure how to start troubleshooting this epic mistake.

Lesson learned--after a 10 hour shift and 4 hours of overtime, just go home and go to sleep. Do not attempt to do anything that requires any amount of thinking or skill.

 

[laserjock]

Check fuses and fusible links. Is it hitting at all or nothing? GPs cycling? Fuel shut off switch clicking?


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[franklin2]

This usually takes out the fusible link or links over at the starter solenoid mounted on the pass side inner fender. If you get a testlight and poke around in the fuse box, and the whole box is dead, that's what it is.

 

[ZWilson07]

Don't feel bad man, it happens to the best of us.

When you jump start are you supposed to use any particular one battery or what?

I assume postive on first, negative 2nd?

Then negative off first, positive off 2nd?

 

[franklin2]

You could use either battery, but the one on the pass side has less wire to the starter. They usually want you to put the + on the battery first, and then the - of the jumper cable on the engine metal somewhere away from the battery because that's when the spark is going to happen. I never worry about it though, but I do reach out and keep my face as far as possible from the battery, they have been known to blow their tops sometimes.

I will tell you one thing, I have never found a vehicle that can jump start these trucks. Even with my large welding cable jumper cables, the best I have ever done is just let it sit there and charge the batteries a little bit and then try. These trucks take a lot of current to turn over, and one set of jumper cables usually isn't enough. Maybe two sets would work on each battery over to another diesel truck with two batteries.

 

[Oog]

You could use either battery, but the one on the pass side has less wire to the starter. They usually want you to put the + on the battery first, and then the - of the jumper cable on the engine metal somewhere away from the battery because that's when the spark is going to happen. I never worry about it though, but I do reach out and keep my face as far as possible from the battery, they have been known to blow their tops sometimes.

I will tell you one thing, I have never found a vehicle that can jump start these trucks. Even with my large welding cable jumper cables, the best I have ever done is just let it sit there and charge the batteries a little bit and then try. These trucks take a lot of current to turn over, and one set of jumper cables usually isn't enough. Maybe two sets would work on each battery over to another diesel truck with two batteries.

This man here is a fart smeller.

Whenever I go to a diesel jumpstart I always take jumpbox, two pairs of cable and jump in either ford or dodge

 

[wildman7798]

Well said by Franklin - always always stand back as far as you can reach and look away. Was on scene for a battery blow up years ago - blew parts of the case, lugs and caps 30 yards away. I happened to be looking away and only got clothing and skin with acid and some additional hearing loss. After the wash of the clothes they were tattered rags. I would compare it to lighting off an M80 - but you get the bonus of acid and plastic shrapnel. There are many true stories of lost sight. Please use care.

 

[laserjock]

This man here is a fart smeller.

Whenever I go to a diesel jumpstart I always take jumpbox, two pairs of cable and jump in either ford or dodge

X2 on the jump box. It's not enough to jump the truck by iteself but it is sometimes enough to top up whatever you are trying to jump it with. My half-ton truck won't jump the diesel even after several minutes of charging. The jump box it the extra I need.

 

[theSHERPA]

Finally got around to messing with the truck today. All fuses appear intact. No noticable melted wires in any of the harnesses in the engine compartment.

Can someone describe, or better yet, snap a picture of the fusible links for me, so I can locate them in my truck? thanks.

 

[franklin2]

Finally got around to messing with the truck today. All fuses appear intact. No noticable melted wires in any of the harnesses in the engine compartment.

Can someone describe, or better yet, snap a picture of the fusible links for me, so I can locate them in my truck? thanks.

Go over to the starter solenoid on the pass side fender. You will see a medium sized wire coming from the battery + going to one of the large posts on the solenoid. Also on this post will be a lot of smaller wires. If you look at these wires, you will see little square rubber things in the wire, these are the fusible links.

Most of the main wires are yellow. You will usually have two that go over and feed the glowplug system. You will have one or two more that go in through the firewall and feed the ignition switch and the fuse box.

Get a testlight. A very useful tool and a good investment of $5 on sale at harbor freight. Clip the alligator clip on a good ground or the battery negative, and then start poking these yellow wires. They all should be hot. If you find one that is not, follow it up and if you see a rubber fusible link, pull on it and if it stretches, it's probably burnt in two.

 

[icanfixall]

A battery lets hydrogen gas off when its charging. Thats the explosive part of jumping a batter and it explodes. Some feel connecting the + side is better than connecting the - side first. You will get a spark for either side so just be careful. Wear eye protection if you have it. Thinking afterwards that you SHOULD HAVE worn eye protection is just being a poster boy to protection...

 

[1466IH]

i use the welder on my truck to start heavy equipment all the time