Car fixin'

[Kip]

OK.....I'm capable but largely unequipped since I had to sell/give away my 25-year collection of tools. I have the basics, and that's about it....so keeping that in mind, what is my troubleshooting flow here?

Truck won't turn over. It clicks like the battery is dead, but the engine doesn't turn over completely.

The voltage across the battery is showing 12.8 volts. Normal. Nonetheless, I tried jumping it with my buddy's SUV. No dice.

All the accessories are working properly except the radio. It went out yesterday inexplicably. No clue if there's a connection there. I can't locate any blown fuses. I have a few more to check, but so far they're all good.

I guess I go through trying to check the starter? It sounds like it *tries* to turn over - so I don't think the starter has lost its connection. I think it's powered but maybe not enough current to get over the hump?



Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

[jledou]

Still sounds like a battery may be the fault. Here I would say take it in for testing to see if a cell may be going bad that doesn't provide the whole amp load for startup. The radio makes me think that is were the issue is.

[Kip]

A couple more tidbits, if it helps:

The battery is only 2 months old. Granted, there's a huge gray market for car batteries here (home backup power invertors use them), and bad ones are sold as new all the time. I did buy from a (relatively) reputable store, but it's totally possible I have a dud.

When turning the key, I hear the relay click, but it doesn't sound like the starter is even engaging. It's in a tight spot, but I'm going to try and see if I can pull it to check the terminals this afternoon.



Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

[Kip]

I may also pull my buddy's battery and see if it will start my truck.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

[kurtdesign1]

Why would the battery be an issue if you jumped it and that didn't work?

[kurtdesign1]

Did you start having an issue after you had been back in the DR? Could an animal have nested/chewed on a wire causing current to not get where it's supposed? Or, not get COMPLETELY where its supposed? I ask because I recently ran across an electric fan motor I use at work which was only operating at about half capacity due to a poor connection. Very, very weird.

[Kip]

Why would the battery be an issue if you jumped it and that didn't work?

Because the laws of physics don't apply in this country.

I don't think it's a varmint issue. Nick drove it around while we were stateside. They were moving and used it to haul stuff.

I tried another battery, and no go. I applied some percussive maintenance to the starter in case it wasn't seated properly and got a bit more of a crank from it. I also noticed a missing mounting bolt....so it's probably wiggling around with all the rugged terrain we cover. I hope the shaft isn't bent, but we'll see. A friend "has a guy" that makes house calls, so I'm going to have him come look at it.

I've changed a gazillion starters in my day, but:

1. I no longer have jackstands and ramps.

2. I'm older and fatter and don't fit well under there to work.

3. This truck's starter is absolutely buried and doesn't come out easily (YouTube showed me pros with overhead lifts struggling with this one.

4. See number 2 above.

5. Seriously. Number 2.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

[IWinchester]

^^^lol. I married a woman with a dad as the head Honda mechanic in the Northwest. I know *nothing* about cars except how to change oil and and replace the rotator cap. Oh, and when I whacked a deer this spring I youtubed how to replace my headlights. Other than that I just hand my keys to my father-in-law and pay him in whiskey

[kurtdesign1]

^^^lol. I married a woman with a dad as the head Honda mechanic in the Northwest. I know *nothing* about cars except how to change oil and and replace the rotator cap. Oh, and when I whacked a deer this spring I youtubed how to replace my headlights. Other than that I just hand my keys to my father-in-law and pay him in whiskey

I'm not far off from above. Though, I did not marry his wife and inherit the greatest father-in-law known to man.

[Kip]

Yeah, my Dad was always my backstop for car stuff...until we moved to Florida. I remember well when shortly after moving I had some trouble with my Jeep. It was a sudden, harsh realization that I'd moved 700 miles from the guy who'd always saved my bacon when there was car trouble. I spent a lot of hours on the phone for his technical services over the following 14 years until he passed.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk