No start/crank

Utkin

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Hey guys. My truck won’t turn over, start, crank, not even the lights come on when I turn the key. I replaced the starter solenoid. and the starter itself. And right after I did that it turned over. But this morning I’m back to square 1. Any advice.
 

Brian VT

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Assuming you have good batteries, check the wires that connect the batteries. They live a hard life and do fail.
If you're sure those are good them jump the 2 posts on the starter solenoid with a srewdriver. Does the starter turn?
 

franklin2

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If your batteries are good, most likely a poor connection or bad cable.

Troubleshooting this requires you to have two people and a good meter or testlight.

The trick is to take your voltage measurements AT THE SAME TIME SOMEONE IS TURNING THE KEY TO START. You can't poke around with a meter with the truck just sitting there, you have to put a load on the system for the meter to read the starting system properly.

So put your meter on the posts themselves on the battery. You will most likely get 12v. But, keep holding it on the posts while someone tries to start the truck. What did the voltage do then? If it dropped, the battery has a problem. If the voltage stayed high, then move the meter leads to the battery ends of the large wires. Probably 12v again, but keep holding it there while someone tries to crank the truck. If the voltage drops, you have a poor connection on one of the battery connections.
 

ihc1470

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Not sure I am following franklin that well.

Here is my take on doing voltage drop test. Still need two people and a digital voltmeter. Start at one of the batteries put one lead on the positive post and other lead on the clamp that is attached to that post. Try cranking and see what voltage reading you get. Hopefully not over .1 of a volt. If good good to other end of that cable and repeat. Again should not be over .1 volt. When you find the connection that is reading higher voltage there is where you issue will be. Do same test on the negative side of system. Rule of thumb is not over .1 volt per connection. Depending on how bad of a connection you have you can see up to full battery voltage dropping across a connection.

Another way to do this is turn on the head lamps for a couple of minutes and then start feeling connections. The hot one will be the issue.

This is assuming the batteries are good and will pass a load test.
 

tradergem

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It's might be the ignition switch has gone bad or the actuator rod for the ignition switch has broken, both are located on the steering column.
 

Brian VT

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It's might be the ignition switch has gone bad or the actuator rod for the ignition switch has broken, both are located on the steering column.
No point to opening that can of worms until the more basic, easier-to-check, items have been ruled out.
 

IDIBRONCO

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Here's another thing to try. Can you make the starter work by jumping the fender mounted solenoid? If so, the your batteries and cables/connections are probably ok.
 

Brian VT

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Here's another thing to try. Can you make the starter work by jumping the fender mounted solenoid? If so, the your batteries and cables/connections are probably ok.
I had asked him that and he said, "The starter doesn’t turn."
He hasn't been back since.
 

franklin2

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Not sure I am following franklin that well.

Here is my take on doing voltage drop test. Still need two people and a digital voltmeter. Start at one of the batteries put one lead on the positive post and other lead on the clamp that is attached to that post. Try cranking and see what voltage reading you get. Hopefully not over .1 of a volt. If good good to other end of that cable and repeat. Again should not be over .1 volt. When you find the connection that is reading higher voltage there is where you issue will be. Do same test on the negative side of system. Rule of thumb is not over .1 volt per connection. Depending on how bad of a connection you have you can see up to full battery voltage dropping across a connection.

Another way to do this is turn on the head lamps for a couple of minutes and then start feeling connections. The hot one will be the issue.

This is assuming the batteries are good and will pass a load test.
My method your method, same result. Say you do your test and you get a 8 volt drop across one of the wires when someone tries to crank the engine. Bad cable or connection. Doing it my way, I am going to get 4 volts at the same point during cranking, 12v-8v drop in bad cable equals 4v.
 

ihc1470

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My method your method, same result. Say you do your test and you get a 8 volt drop across one of the wires when someone tries to crank the engine. Bad cable or connection. Doing it my way, I am going to get 4 volts at the same point during cranking, 12v-8v drop in bad cable equals 4v.
Are they? Under normal starting conditions can we agree that you will see a voltage drop across the battery terminals when cranking? The question though is how much voltage drop is normal. That depends on many things and can change from time to time on the same system and still be normal. For example zero degree or 100 degree will produce a different voltage drop all else being the same yet would be considered normal.

With your method I agree you will see a voltage drop but what does it mean. Can you measure tenths of a volt drop and be certain that it is normal or a high resistance connection?

"So put your meter on the posts themselves on the battery. You will most likely get 12v. But, keep holding it on the posts while someone tries to start the truck. What did the voltage do then? If it dropped, the battery has a problem. If the voltage stayed high, then move the meter leads to the battery ends of the large wires. Probably 12v again, but keep holding it there while someone tries to crank the truck. If the voltage drops, you have a poor connection on one of the battery connections."

Maybe I have miss understood what you are trying to say and if so I do apologize. That to me says you are measuring across the battery post which will tell you resting battery voltage engine not running, or when at the other ends of cable really the same thing. When cranking you would be seeing voltage drop of complete system which may or may not be normal drops.

Off subject slightly, if all you see is 12v you may not get a crank condition as that battery is down to around 30% charge. 12.8 given accuracy of most voltmeters is charged voltage.
 

Lumberjackchuck

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Well you replaced starter so I assume your hot connections are good. But did you check the ground?

Put an ohmmeter from your engine to your negative battery terminal. Make sure you gotta a good ground. Check it for tightness on the engine.
 

Utkin

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Thank you for all the help ive determined its the cables and I have ordered some new ones from Dieselpowerproducts.com
 

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