Electronics working, but truck is not starting?
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Houston, Tx
Electronics working, but truck is not starting?
Morning y'all, today I went to leave for work and my truck was acting as if it was dead, or dying rather. The dash lights would come on only faintly and then go away. I attempted to start the truck and all I heard was a click. Popped the hood and messed with the battery terminals/cables and the trucks electronics came on, but again would only click when I tried to start it and then die again. I'm assuming it's the starter but why would the truck be dead if it was just the starter? It's a 2001 Ranger xlt standard transmission with the 2.3(?) I think
Last edited by Rock.aaron1996; Apr 16, 2018 at 09:52 AM. Reason: Including year and model of truck
Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 343
Likes: 1
From: IL
First off make sure the battery is topped off. Secondly you clearly have corroded or loose terminals. Clean them to shiney metal and make sure they are tight. it doesnt take much amperage to run the few idiot lights on the dash and vent blower but takes a whole lot to run the starter and cant pass thru a weak connection. My s10 had this issue and stupid side post terminals tighten them like 1/16 of a turn of a wrench and back in business for 8 months. Would go to start it, key in to run, everything normal , go to start everything goes black, release everything comes back to life. Sometimes stayed dead. Tightening the cables fixed it every time.
Also modern vehicles start so fast we dont notice a weak battery so they appear to die out of nowhere (and do - ive had 2 start in the am, get me to work, then completely dead when i go to leave). if you can, charge the battery then take it to an auto parts store and have it load tested. They can read 12.8V and still be bad.
Could also be the clutch safety switch not working right. If the above doesnt work try pumping the clutch a few times to see if you can get the switch to make contact - or make sure its in neutral, parking brake set, hold key to start and then pump the clutch to see if anything changes.
Also modern vehicles start so fast we dont notice a weak battery so they appear to die out of nowhere (and do - ive had 2 start in the am, get me to work, then completely dead when i go to leave). if you can, charge the battery then take it to an auto parts store and have it load tested. They can read 12.8V and still be bad.
Could also be the clutch safety switch not working right. If the above doesnt work try pumping the clutch a few times to see if you can get the switch to make contact - or make sure its in neutral, parking brake set, hold key to start and then pump the clutch to see if anything changes.
Welcome to the forum
+1 to what Dngr Rngr said
Clean battery terminals and cables
First stop would be battery Voltage, get a Volt Meter
12.8-13.0 volts is a new battery
12.5 volts is a 3 year old battery
12.3 volts is a 5/6 year old battery and time for new battery
If battery voltage is lower than 12.2 volts then battery or alternator is the problem
Charge battery to see if it can hold a charge.
If your battery cables have been loose then battery may not have been charging when engine was on. so battery may be OK just needs to be charged up enough so you can start the engine.
Once you get the engine started, test battery voltage while engine is running
13.5v volts to 14.8volts is expected at the battery
Below 13.5 volts means alternator problem
Above 15 volts means alternator problem as well
Dash gauges and lights need about 10amps of power
Starter motor need 60 amps at least, up to 75 amps
This is why the Battery cables are so large, you need a big wire to carry that many amps, and a big connection as well, for each big cable.
If large cable ends have corrosion or are loose then they can carry 10amps but not 60amps, so "click, click, click" because starter motor needs more amps than bad cables can provide
+1 to what Dngr Rngr said
Clean battery terminals and cables
First stop would be battery Voltage, get a Volt Meter
12.8-13.0 volts is a new battery
12.5 volts is a 3 year old battery
12.3 volts is a 5/6 year old battery and time for new battery
If battery voltage is lower than 12.2 volts then battery or alternator is the problem
Charge battery to see if it can hold a charge.
If your battery cables have been loose then battery may not have been charging when engine was on. so battery may be OK just needs to be charged up enough so you can start the engine.
Once you get the engine started, test battery voltage while engine is running
13.5v volts to 14.8volts is expected at the battery
Below 13.5 volts means alternator problem
Above 15 volts means alternator problem as well
Dash gauges and lights need about 10amps of power
Starter motor need 60 amps at least, up to 75 amps
This is why the Battery cables are so large, you need a big wire to carry that many amps, and a big connection as well, for each big cable.
If large cable ends have corrosion or are loose then they can carry 10amps but not 60amps, so "click, click, click" because starter motor needs more amps than bad cables can provide
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
