Last night I decided to clean the posts and terminal ends on my Optima red tops. I lightly scuffed all the areas with a knife until all the surfaces were shiny.

This morning I hop in and it clicks..... only 8v showing on the gauge. I get another battery and jump off it to fire the truck up. At first I thought I left the interior light on all night so I carried on with my errands. I drove for about 1/2 hour and then parked. 20 minutes later I get another CLICK.... but this time i notice the Volts rise slowly and eventually I had enough juice to fire it up. Nothing is powered on when the ignition is off.

I have had no issues with the batteries or electrical in the past. Optimas are about 3 years old max. Any suggestions?

 

Just to be safe, get the batteries tested. At least you can rule them out.

 

check you're battery posts and have the batteries tested.

start there.

 

You should go and buy a multi- meter they are good for these things. Put one leed on the battery post and the other on the lug to see what the difference in voltage is bet it is about 4+ volts. Do this to both terminals. Get some Vasoline or other electrical contact grease, and put on the posts when you reclean them and use a small wire brush ( tooth brush size) they work the best. I have seen this before that is what the dollarshop did in prince gouge BC did for me and I measured that and there was a potential difference after 3 days. ( Was I mad because I had cleaned them a month earlier and they were fine.)

 

I have driven the truck a couple hundred miles and many stop/starts since my last post. Yesturday I was stranded for a few hours with the same symptoms I mentioned before, except it would just click. Volts were up and good.

I ended up beating on the starter with a heavy wrench and got it fired. I dont understand why all of the sudden the starter goes bad right after I clean the posts and terminals for the battery?

Looks like I am looking for a new starter?!!.

 

Read in the last post. Starter wire vs starter bracket. It's worth a look.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...t=81936&page=5

 

try this first,and no i'm not spammin!
http://www.fostertruck.com/dodge/

I had to replace the contacts and plunger (actually could have just done the contacts)on mine,works great now.
(I did not buy mine from foster)

 

that was what i was going to say contacts are burning up.
and fosters is the best place I know of to get them.