Starting problem on my 98 silverado....Help!

[TT/Ameasap]

Parked truck and went to restart it little later and just a click sound came from under the hood. Figured the starter was bad and took it out and went to autozone and they tested it and said it was bad. Got new starter tested before leaving the store and installed it . SAME THING! WTF Tried safety N switch and tapping on old starter tricks and nothing!

98chevy truck 350 117K


Please Help!

Bo

 

[John Larkin]

Bad connection at battery maybe.

 

[1of1035]

check battery cable running to the starter. If you've had a leaking battery the acid usually runs down the cable and eats it up. Those trucks are known for that down here due to the heat causing battery leaks. hth

 

[TT/Ameasap]

Thanks

I cleaned my connections when I put a new batt. in it a month ago and rechecked them again. This time I put coke on them and cleaned them well. I was rewarded with a starting truck

Bad connection and bad starter I am going to put a new power cable on it also so no worries.

All is well and thanks for such quick response.

Happy 4th to ya!

Bo

 

[1of1035]

Just another word of advice. I see you live in florida so you know about the heat. There's a factory insulator around the battery make sure you keep that on the battery it actually does help. Saw more battery leaking problems on ones that people remove the insulator from. Believe it or not something from the factory really does serve a purpose.

 

[TurboJim]

You can somewhat diagnose a no crank by observing the dome light (assuming it works) while attempting to crank. If the dome light doesnt go out, its safe to assume the battery/connections are good enough that the battery is charged and the starter isnt pulling any current. If the dome light goes dim, the battery is weak or there is excessive voltage drop in the circuit. If the dome light goes out, the battery is DEAD, or there is a LOT of voltage drop. If the light comes back on after a few secs, typically you have a bad connection in the cable at the batt.

BTW: no, you cant use the radio display, because the ACCY circuit is turned off at crank. You can however use the headlights if the dome light is inop...if you can see them.

ie:

turn the key, hear a click, dome light stays on, typically the starter motor isnt pulling any current, but the solenoid is engaging, the solenoid "jumper" piece inside is corroded/burned, or the starter motor brushes/armature are bad.

turn the key, hear click, the dome light goes out, release the key, the dome light comes back on, the batt is dead/weak.

turn the key, dome light goes out, release the key, dome light stays out. Wait a few secs/few mins, the dome light comes on as bright as before: bad connection...typically pos lug at the battery, or cable corroded in its casing.

Turn the key, cranks slowly, dome light doesnt go out/dim: starter is bad, or excessive voltage drop in pos cable (depending how the car is wired. On a GN the starter would be bad. ON a 90's C/K pickup, I'd say wiring prob. (C/K pickup splits the pos cable to the fuse block at the LS of the engine compt. So that "leg" wouldt be affected by a bad starter)

Turn the key, cranks slow, dome light dims/goes out, either the starter is drawing too much current, or more likely, the batt is low or has a dead/weak cell(s)

No, this all is not written in stone, but just a quick hint to help you narrow down what COULD be the culprit on a no-start/no-crank.

 

[John Larkin]

Thanks Jim but I think we got this handled. As Maxwell Smart used to say, "Missed it by *that* much".

 

[TurboJim]

Well, hopefully this will help someone in the future John.

Being methodical helps take a lot of the "guessing" out of a diagnosis.

Knowing what I wrote, my bet is the guy wouldnt have had to ask. Maybe the next person wont either. And if they are stuck at a shop and the tech says it needs XYZ, the guy will know if it does or doesnt...cut it makes sense.

Just tryin to help the common man....you know

 

[John Larkin]

It was in jest and in love.