Well, since Midwest dually seems to be having the same problem as me (kind of) I thought I would post my problems. Last week my truck began to get a symptom of not starting in the mornings. Sometimes it would go 4 days fine and then 2 days straight with a no start problem. Basically when I turned the key to crank, I got just a click. No headlights dimming, nothing. Just a click. Jump start the truck and it is fine. I was even able to get a Toyota (very small batter) to jump start me and it fired right off.

It is almost like it is just low enough to not crank the engine but go ahead and supply voltage to everything else. I should add that it only seems to do this when it is about 40degrees out side and has set for 10-12 hours. Grid heaters are working okay. Well, on Sunday, I replaced the battery. Up until this morning it had been working fine. Then, it happend with the same symptoms again. Jump started it and I was off with no more problems.

Today at work I load tested the batteries, load tested the alternator and checked to see if I had any drainage from something with the key off. I found no amps on the ground side or the positive side of the battery. I even pulled each fuse out and tested for amperage with a meter. Nothing, no sign of amperage.

Now, this leads me to believe that it is either my starter dragging (possibly the contacts), or my voltage regulator. If it were my contacts, the result of the grid heaters coming on in the morning and a dragging starter could give me my problem?

Any help is appreciated, its got me on this one.

 

Talking generaly, it sounds to me like a bad starter. Probably the solenoid contacts. One thing you could try when this happens is to measure the voltage at the battery while someone tries to start it. I do not think it is a bad battery (read under voltage) because you stated that the lights do not dim when you try to start it. You said that you can hear a click when you turn the key. This probably indicates that the solenoid is pulling in but not making a contact. Just maybe when you boost it the extra volts/amps is enough to burn thru to a contact.
How old is the starter? Please let us know when you find and fix the problem.

 

Mexstan, that is what I am leaning towards. Like I mentioned, I replaced the battery so it is brand new. I bought the truck about 3 1/2 years ago and have never put a starter on it. So, it may be the OEM.

 

Too many unknowns here. If it were my truck I would pull the starter and go from there. For this kind of problem it may be a process of elimination, so start with the starter.

 

Go with the Contacts or the starter itself? Hopefully the contacts. Those starters cost a fella an arm and a leg.

 

Hey Monty- before you go diggin into the starter check the Neg batt connection at the block. Pull it loose and clean it good. I'm assuming you have clean contacts at the batt terminals. After a while the conectors won't stay tight enough to make a good contact. I still have the OEM starter and it get used 20+ times a day.

Jay

 

Personally I would purchase a set of contacts anyway. For that amount of time even if the contacts are OK they will be badly worn. So while the starter is out, replace them anyway. Maybe the brushes also but I would not have a new set on hand unless you want to. They are not that expensive. Maybe get the com skimmed if it is badly worn. Dismantle the starter and clean it out. Check if the bearings are worn. I would replace them regardless, unless there is NO slop in them. Lubricate everything, reassemble and fire it up.
No, I would not get a replacement starter.
Good luck. Hope this resolves your problem.

 

Thanks guys,

Jbolt, I will check the ground wire again. Yes the terminals are good and clean.

 

There's a starter relay on the drivers side fender well. It's an electronic relay about the size of a 1" cube. I had a similar problem and this was the culpert - for about 2 years. I finally put in a new starter a couple of weeks ago when the problem started all over again. So far so good. BTW battery and charging system checked out OK.

Bob

 

Monty;
You have an open curciut (because the additional voltage & or amperage from a jumps is enablbeing the curciut to close the gap) and if cable connections on both ends are good than I'd agree that the problem going to be either contacts in the starter relay or the starter solenoid.


ramguy

 

Its amazing. MONTY I am having the same thing on my 98. BUT, my batteries failed load. Put new batteries in and thought that would fix it. Helped, but still not just right. Planning on cleaning/checking contacts everywhere this weekend if I get the chance. Expect I will have to replace the starter contacts. 150,000 OEM as far as I know.
Ed

 

Just an update. This morning it was cold enough for the grid heaters to come on. So, before I started it, I hooked my multimeter up to the battery. Voltage was 12.36v after sitting overnight. Kept my leads on the battery and placed the meter inside the cab. However, I did not wait on the "wait to start light" to go off. As soon as I cranked the engine, the voltage dropped to 8.6 volts. I am pretty sure this is due in part to the grid heaters being activated when I switched the key to the start position. From there, it very quickly jumped up to 13.5v. On any other cold morning, if I would have waited for the wait to start light to go off, it probably would not have started.

 

Just an update...last weekend, I cleaned all visible ground cables and dabbed a bit of CAT Di-electric grease on the connections. Removed plunger from solenoid and checked contacts. They were in very good shape but had some black residue on the contacts and the plunger disc. Took some emery cloth and cleaned them up and installed. I also found that my dome light wire that runs off of the headlight switch had been cut by the parking brake and showed bare wire. Guess that explains why my dome light only worked when the door was open. : Repaired and for the last week, have not had a single problem since. Thanks guys.