I've been having one of those weeks and need some direction, yet again. Earlier this week on the way home my serpetine belt came out of alignment and yanked the wire out of the CPS. My wife will be on her way home shortly with the new CPS but this afternoon I figured I drive the truck over to the local parts house and pickup a new belt and tensioner as I know the tensioner caused the problem.

Turned the key in the start position waiting for the "wait" light to go out and hit the ignition switch to start it and nothing. Tried it a couple of more times and nothing still didn't even hear the starter click. Look at the amp guage and I'd guess it was around 10. Opened up the hood and when I tried it again and listened I can hear something engage and it sounds like it's coming from the main control box front drivers fender. I've put a battery charger on and a couple hours later it's now close to 12v and I still get the same thing. Done some searching here and from what I've found the CPS should only stop the truck from charging and a/c. Will it also stop it from cranking? I drove it home after the belt jumped without any problems and this is the first time I've tried starting it since this happend. It only shredded 1/4" of the belt and I can't see anything else that might of happened.

Any suggests would be greatly appreciated.

 

Just curious, but is your truck metallic blue and just buy it not oo long ago? If it is I might know some stuff that could help you out about your truck.

 

Yes and as time goes by I'm starting to get a good flavor of how well the thing was taken care of Please send me any info you have good or bad, I'm already seated.

 

The CPS has nothing to do with the no-crank.

Use a test light to see if power is getting to the solenoid on the starter. The fact that the start relay clicks tells me that the safety switch and ignition are good, so either there's no power through the relay or there's a starter problem (contacts or brushes).

 

Also sounds like the voltage is a little low. Check the battery with a voltmeter, since the one on the dash is not terribly accurate. You may just need a jump.

 

Wanna, First thanks for your assistance. Bear with my below post as I don't claim to be a mechanic or anything close to it.

OK...I figured I go the easy route and I tried jumping it and same condition. So then I check power from battery (large cable) to the starter and that's good. I then tried to see if I had anything on the smaller cable on the solinoid, nothing. Had the wife bump the ignition key, nothing. Then followed the small cable back to a 2 prong connector next to the battery and noted the wire was fried like Churchs chicken from there on. Undid all the cable wrap around the main wiring harness and the brown wire toasted all the way to the middle relay of 3 on the drivers side fender. Fortunatly all the other wires in the bundling were fine. I had the wife bump the ignition key again and the test light didn't light. As she bumped it I can feel the relay doing it's thing. I then stabbed the large red wire from the same relay and it's hot. I don't have a multimeter but probably will tomorrow

There are also 3 other probably 18gauge wires coming off this relay 2 of which are brown/yellow and I don't remember the third.

So does this tell you or anyone else what might be going on? Again, thanks.

 

I would replace that start relay. It sounds like the combination of the low battery and a poor connection inside the relay overheated the brown wire. $15 or so should get you going good as new.

 

Is it possible to connect into one of the other 2 relays? I noted there all the same numbers on top and while it's dark and I haven't gone and looked I'm wondering if they are interchangable and that way I can test it first. Not sure of the effect of disconnecting the other ones for testing but thought I'd ask.

 

Yeah, you can swap them. Rear one is the A/C clutch, front one runs the charging system.

 

I swapped to the rear relay and now I have power going through to the wires again as I could see the wire physically move and then it started smoking briefly ...there's some serious resistance on that line

So the relay apparently did it's job and blew and apparently the culpret in my bank account is going to be the starter/solinoid correct? I guess tomorrow I'll pull the starter out and take it to the FLAPS and have them test it or would you suggest something else?

Thanks.

 

Yeah, it sounds like there's a short in the solenoid. That's not too common, sounds like it might be time for a reman starter.