So i replaced the starter in my truck. the old one was bad when it was tested. finally got it put back on but the truck still wont start. it has a new battery but it only reads 12.5 volts. when you turn the key and try to start it the relays in the fuse box under the hood click not sure which ones, could this mean that they are bad? anybody have any ideas?

 

Update!

so we got it started by putting a charger/starter on the batery. drove it around all afternoon. went to a friends house then went to start it to leave and no power at all. radio wouldnt work door wouldnt ding. every once in a while the door would start dinging and then stop a few seconds later. Then i jumped it with his truck. ran fine. i killed it trying to back out of his drive way. no power again. turned the key off then back on and it had power and started. im thinking a lose connection some where but where? i would appreciate any help with this.

 

I would just start tracing wires from the battery to the power distribution block under the hood and down to the starter. Not only look for loose connections but corrosion too.

 

check igntion switch and ur alternator

 

alternator is still good it has plenty of power while driving. how do you check the ignition switch?

 

have a blown fuse?


i had a 86 nissan 300zx turbo and one day i had no power at all...nothing electrical but my car was still driving around town.

came home looked under the hood had a blown fuse. went to the store for less than a buck you can make a half *** fuse for now.

 

it runs now it just sometimes dosent have any power when you turn the key on. havnt had any problems since sunday afternoon.

 

When I've had those problems in cars it was more often than not corroded battery terminals. You said you had a new battery so the battery terminals themselves are probably ok, but did you clean the connectors that clamp on the battery terminals?

Also check the other end of the ground cable from the negative side of the battery

 

sounds like your having a ground issue some where on the battery side.

 

More than likely your alternator is toast. The alternator charges the battery while the engine is running and power the truck's electrical system. If the alternator isn't working, then the battery won't recharge. The truck's electrical system will draw off the battery instead. So your battery dies and never recharges. Result, next time you try to start it, you got nothing.

Get the alternator tested. If it tests ok, check the fusible link that connnects it to the distrobution block under the hood or the fueses in the block.

 

i dont think its the altenator i havnt had it tested but i have been driving it all week with out any problems.

i guess i will check the ground cables and clean the battery connectors sometime this weekend hopefully. just in case

 

So it happened again tonight.killed the truck with the clutch and then it didnt have any power. tried jumping it and it would turn over once and make a clicking noise. ended up having to get pulled so i could dump the clutch again. after it started i turned the lights on and it reved up and they were dim. when i got home and went to back into my parking spot it died (i think) and it didnt have any power. i dont know whats wrong with it i guess tomorrow if its not raining i will try and check all of the connections and see where i loose power at.

 

Alternator....get it tested. Check the voltage on the battery too.

 

loaded it up on the trailer tonight. the battery had like 3-4 volts when hooked up to the truck with the key off. when you unhooked it it had 12-13 volts. so we are guessing there is a short some where. it also has a clorine smell in the cab now but dont know why.

 

Definitely a ground issue - jsut pull out the wiring there, replace it - it probably is corroded inside the wiring causing a horrible ground - and its cheap to replace the wiring - had to do this on my '88 ranger out back - the thing will start up and run jsut fine.. btu every now and then it woudl kill the battery.. swapping out cables seemed to fix it

 

Which cables? where at?

 

Where are you measuring that 3-4 volts?? If your measuring that somewhere else in the truck (not at the battery terminals), then your battery cables are f'd. Causing high resistance and associated voltage drop. If you're measring that that 3-4 volts at the battery terminals, then your truck should be on fire. Nothing drops the terminals voltage down that low except an unprotected short on the battery cables which would have already blown up the battery and caught the truck on fire.

 

it was at the terminals with the cables hooked up. it might have been up to six but not more than that. there was a funny smell in the cab but no smoke or anything. we unhooked the battery and loaded it up on the trailer and i droped it off at the shop today.

 

That funny smell is probably burning wires. You've probbaly got some seriously messed up wires. Don't expect this to be easy or cheap unfortunately.

 

yeah my dad already said if it isnt worth fixing he would turn it in for cash for clunkers and give me the 4500 (since i payed for the truck) and i could use it to buy a new truck. but i really just want to keep this one. we will have to see.

 

take that 4500 and buy yourself something in the 2001-2004 range.. good and cheap, and a bit newer

 

well my parents went and picked it up from the shop yesterday and drove it home. He said the the batery cables and ends we caroded inside the wires. so he replaced them and cleaned everything up. glad it wasnt something major.

 

It is still starting but the check engine light is on. the wipers dont work and the odometer and speedometer are not working. looked through the shop manual and it basically said i need to get the code read. Does anybody possibly know the cause of this?

 

I'd say check your fuses and get the code read. Many of the chain auto parts stores will read codes for free

 

here is the active thread on this problem

https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ml#post1460700