qcstunter

I have a 98 12V and it has started perfect every time since I have owned the truck, until yesterday. It turned over for a second and started clicking. I tried hitting the starter with a hammer and it still nothing. I checked all of the terminals and ground wires and everything was secure. I have two brand new napa batteries which are both fully charged. I have tried cranking the truck about every hour and it does nothing but click. After all this I figure its time to call LarryB and order some starter contacts and a plunger, so I do. Along with ordering a fuel shutoff rubber boot and fuel line kit. With 2nd day air I spent well over a $100.
Since I need my truck for work and its my only ride I thought I could fix it till the parts get here, so I pull the starter and clean everything and put it back together, and it still clicks! It turns out I have no voltage at the big wire going to the starter. How is this possible? The cable is coming straight from the positive battery terminal and is bigger around than my thumb. Not to mention it looks fine from the outside. Am I missing something or could my battery cable really be shorted out? Has this ever happened to anyone?

TIMMY22

check your terminals, with a test light check for continuity between the center of the terminal and poking through the center of the cable.

qcstunter

if I need a new cable where can I get some asap? I found www.custombatterycables.com but from reading the website it looks like it would take a month.
I am really frustrated with this truck just this month I have replaced all the steering linkages $500, both wheel bearings $650, winshield $150, batterys $160, 4 bilstien shocks $320, brakes $40, control arm bushings(pain to do) Plus misc stuff like smoke stack and stuff from larryb. I am just waiting for somthing stupid to happen like the KDP eat my motor I need to tab that thing. Oh yeah I forgot to mention axel seals in the front and u-joints and axels I did $$$$. Few months ago gave Dave Goerend $3400. On top of all this my truck has a salvage title and the body is beat up Talk about stress. Okay Im going to check the cable with a test light now, I just had to vent

infidel

Yes and it really though me for a loop. It's not really that uncommon for a battery cable to corrode completely in half under the insulation where you can't see it.
Measure your cable(s), go to welding shop and have them crimp some eyes to heavy welding cable. You will also have to replace your battery clamps with the type where the cable bolts on.

qcstunter

Test light shows voltage but I think its enough voltage to power the test light but not the starter. I tried to touch the cable to the frame and there were no sparks at all. I tried to jump the starter with a screwdriver (big cable and little wire on starter) and the starter didnt even click. If I hook jumper cables to the starter it turns over but real sloooow.

John Faughn

Its called a voltage drop test , measure at batt. + & - , digital meter , this establishes a base , for the pos. side , keep the neg. lead of neg. ot batt. , the pos. lead to the starter cable , should not drop more than a couple tenths - .0 at most , then come back torwards batt. poking through insulation till you get the correct voltage , thats where the cable went bad , to do the neg. cable just rev. the meter leads .

PaulDaisy

Although new, one of the batteries could have an internal manufacturing defect and short out, and not put out the amps needed to hold the solenoid and crank at the same time? Have them tested at Autozone. It is the simplest possibility, and these usually turn out to be right.
-P

qcstunter

I have a bluepoint meter but I need new leads thats why I used a test light. I am sure the battery is good and the cable is bad because when I hook a jumper cable to the driver side or the passanger battery, then to the starter the truck will start but it just turns over slower(I guess the contact area of the jumper cable is less. I think I will go to a welding shop and get some 2/0 cable but I dont know exatly what type of batt terminal to get,

PChouinard

Are you bypassing the cable from the batt to the starter? If so, and it starts, the cable is bad. And yes the jumpers will have a hard time passing the current through the alligator clamps. Johns test will get you there or you can just cut back the insulation a little at the clamp with a razor knife and see if your cable is green or maybe white. Either one is junk. If you have enough slack in the cable, you should be able to get a replacement clamp and just trim the old cable back foe the mean time. Good luck..