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Total electrical failure?


Effieman

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After sitting for about 2 hours yesterday, the truck wouldn't start. The dash lights all worked...till I turned the key. Then nothing. No dash lights. Jump started it, noticed the alternator was charging. Did a load test on battery, it was good. Cables are tight.
Today, everything worked fine on first start. Got out of Dr. office, and once again....door buzzer, blower motor, dash lights good...till I turned the key. Then everything went dark. Jump started again to make it home. On the way home, the engine revved several times while at a light (5-speed), and once jerked as if I just almost punched the throttle.
When jump started, I connect directly to the end terminals, so the cables evidently are still good too.
Any ideas where to do next?
 


snoranger

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Clean the battery terminals. Clean the connections at the starter.
 
Uncle Gump

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Sounds like a classic poor battery connection.

Both ends of cables... clean and tight.

my 94 was doing that... loose engine ground at the cable. Everything was normal until you went to crank... click...

Does it click?
 

Effieman

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Forgot to say that the terminals were coated when new with die-electric grease, so there is no corrosion. Never thought about the other end of the cables though.
I'll be back.....maybe
 

Effieman

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The cables are all bundled together with other wires... But, one smaller wire comes from the negative cable to the radiator support area, and it's got a good connection. Can't see what the starter end of the positive cable looks like. And don't know where the other end of the negative cable connects. Will have to check tomorrow...maybe I won't have to battle the rain then either.
Also seems that if the other end of the cables were bad, then it still wouldn't work when jumped?
 
Uncle Gump

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That's kinda why i asked if it clicked...

The entire thing doesn't make a lot of sense really... being the battery tested good but will fire up with a jump. Did the battery get load tested at half of the cold cranking amps?

If it does click... rules out the park/neutral or clutch switch and ignition switch. Look at battery cables or a bad spot on the starter armature.
 
jtaborsky

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Have you tested your alternator? The battery might have enough juice to run the spark plugs but not enough to turn the starter.


If your alternator is good, I would try a different battery, regardless of what a test suggests.
 

Effieman

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The only alternator test I did was looking at the gauge after first jumping it. The battery still had 12.6 volts afterwards too. It does click when the dash lights are on.
The load test was using the 100 amp tester from Harbor Freight. The voltage went down to only about 11.8 volts, and it got hot after 10 seconds. Of course, the battery is only a year old, so it SHOULD be good.
I use a jump box to start it. The last time, I hooked up the box, but didn't turn it on, and still nothing. Then turned the box on, lights came on and it started. Kinda supports that the wiring is good?
But, when everything goes dark, it stays dark till hooked up to the box and jumped again?? The voltage should come back up to light the dash lights at least...I think. Any type of relay that could be resetting when this happens?
 
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It really sounds like you are losing a battery connection completely. Did you try turning on the headlights during this no start?

Here is how I would proceed... Next time this happens check the battery with a voltmeter...

Test 1... put voltmeter across the battery posts... Should be 12V or above

Test 2... put the voltmeter across the battery terminals... should be the same reading you noted across the posts... within 0.2V or so.

If the readings are the same... rule out battery and connections at the battery. Start looking at the opposite ends of the cables.

If the readings aren't the same...Google Voltage Drop Testing and do a little reading... This new found knowledge will help isolate the connection issues.
 

Effieman

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It was voltage drop. Last year my headlight switch fell inside the dash so I put on a battery cut-off switch on just in case I needed it. The first thing I did the other day was tighten up the switch. But the problem was the 'new' battery post on the switch. It looked burned inside the terminal on the post. Guess the 150 amp rating is a total lie, as there is no aftermarket acc on the truck.
Thanks for the help!
 
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