55.2-59 Wont start

[popeyestruck]

Been sanding and buffing my new paint for the last month a few hours a day. The worst possible job. I dont know how anyone would want to do this for a living. My arthritis in my wrists is killing me. Anyway , Truck was running great when I parked it but now turn the key press the floor start and nothing. No click , nothing. I have power to radio , lights etc but wont start . Battery is at 12.6 volts. Any idea what I should check? I have a couple more days of buffing and then I'd like to take it for its first drive

[studeclunker]

Oh my, isn't this familliar?
First check your connections. Battery, of course, then at the Starter itself. My '58 does the same.
Here's a link to my very similar question, the answers might be helpful:

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=855024

[dsraven]

battery cables off, clean battery posts and cable terminal clamps to clean shiny metal. one of those tapered battery terminal cleaners work well to make a smooth straight taper better than the brush style if your battery and terminals show signs of malformation
https://www.amazon.ca/OTC-4612-3-Way...7&gad_source=1
follow cables to their other end and clean the connections to bare shiny metal. note the negative cable may be short and connect to sheet metal, like the cab. if this is the case then there will be another battery cable sized wire or strap from the cab to the frame/engine. this is to connect the dots between the battery and the starter with a conductor capable of the amp draw from the starter
check the starter switch at the starter, for "step on the starter" set ups, as the aftermarket switches are known to give issues. if the cable connection there was slightly overtightened the stud can be turned and then the connection inside the switch is compromised. the linkage can also be the issue but if it disconnected at the switch, the lever at the switch can be moved manually to engage the starter. what happens is the lever first engages the gear in the starter with the engine flywheel while the switch engages power
if you have booster cables connect one end of the pos cable to the battery pos and the other end to the starter, then the negative from the battery to the engine block, then try the starter. if it works then you know you have a cable or cable connection problem. if it doesn't work then try booster cables from a known good battery. if it works with this method then you have a dead battery. do the headlights light up bright? if so, do they stay bright when you step on the starter? do they go completely out or very dim when you step on the starter? if so then check those cable connections from battery to engine. the connections support the smaller load of the lights but not the heavy load of the starter.
cable connections: looks for a black or dark colored scale on the lead battery posts, check for the same or obvious corrosion (green on a copper terminal usually). if using second hand or original cables check the actual cable strands inside the outer insulation for corrosion. look for lumps/bulges in the cable or stiffer than normal sections that don't want to bend like the other parts of the cable. this usually denotes corrosion inside where the strands are. if using a side mount battery with the plastic covers over the terminals, pull back the plastic and check for corrosion. if you have the aftermarket cable terminals at the battery, with a strap that holds the cable on, loosen the strap bolts and pulll the cable out to check the integrity of the connections. I find these type can be tightened right up but not be holding securely because the lead part of the terminal is easily distorted.
if you have access to an old fashioned volt meter/amp meter battery tester with carbon pile you can connect that at the battery and do a volt test with a load test and then, if that passes, do the same test again at the starter connection and engine block and see what you have for voltage plus apply a load and see if the voltage drops off with a load due to a poor connection somewhere from the battery to the starter.
https://www.amazon.ca/VCT-Battery-Al...b&gad_source=1
otherwise use a regular volt meter and see if your battery voltage matches the voltage available at the starter
hope that wasn't too deep and it will help you find the problem. sounds like voltage available at the starter is the problem. don't just check the positive side of things because it takes a complete circuit, through the ground side as well, to make things work

[mr48chev]

If what Dsraven suggested doesn't get it going there will have to be some serious trouble shooting.

I'm thinking that cleaning the cables and terminals to clean bare shiny metal will get the job done though. That is why he put that first.

If you haven't done so after cleaning the posts I'd stick the charger on it. It may not be fully charged even though it shows a full charge or there may be a weak cell.

[popeyestruck]

Thanks for all the suggestions !! I'll work my way through the lists as soon as I finish buffing.

[my56chevytruck]

the voltage doesn't mean as much as the ability to turn the engine over, my meaning is simply the cells could be bad under a load. how old is this battery, have it load checked, went thru this personally

[dsraven]

charging and load testing the battery (after it has had time to sit and stabilize) is what I would do after checking the cable connections at all connection points and also the battery terminals. if the battery was fine not long ago and it just now decided to not start then I would first check the state of charge and then check the connections. dig deeper after that with a load test.
as a side bar, you can have battery voltage at 12V at the starter with a single strand of wire, but that obviously wouldn't run a starter. thats what a bad connection can simulate, battery voltage until called upon for a load. then it craps out.

[popeyestruck]

Battery is brand new. Finished cut and buff today. Tomorrow morning I'll go through the connections 1 by 1

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by popeyestruck

Battery is brand new. Finished cut and buff today. Tomorrow morning I'll go through the connections 1 by 1

Brand new doesn't mean that it is good. No telling how long it sat on the shelf before you bought it. Never assume that it is up to snuff or even fully charged enough to crank the engine.

Just put the charger on it and make sure that it gets a full charge along with cleaning all of the battery connections.

I've got one car that has a parasitic drain from the alarm system even if it isn't on that will drain the battery in about 2 or three weeks.

[nvrdone]

My daughter had the same kind of problem on her Nissan. She had the battery replaced and the next day the car wouldn't start. Turned out the battery had not had enough driving time to recharge the battery. I know your truck is not a Nissan but the idea is the same. Have you tried to jump start the truck? Have you put a charger on the battery? Just some thoughts.

[popeyestruck]

Battery has been on tender overnight. I'm hoping this is the fix

[mr48chev]

If that doesn't take care of it go back to anything in the electrical system that you changed since you were driving/running it.

The other thing is that if it doesn't do what it is supposed to I would pull it and take it to where I bought it to have it tested. Or take it to a shop you trust that has good battery test equipment to test it.

[dsraven]

just ninfo for members, since we obviously have newer vehicles that we drive daily. some new cars have computers that control the charging system and they automatically derate the amount of charge given to compensate for batteries that are getting close to their due date. when a new battery has been installed the system needs to be reset/programmed so the new battery gets charged like it needs to be. otherwise the new battery will not be getting the full charge it needs to keep up. also, some new vehicles have a "current being used" probe, similar to an inductive pick up, tha monitors how much amperage we are using and this helps the onboard computer to know what to tell the alternator to charge. if we install accy directly to the battery posts we can mess with this system and not be recieving a full charge like we expect to be getting out of that spendy alternator.
just info for you guys. I am sure some already know this stuff or can expand on how it all works.

[dsraven]

hey popeye, how is the sanding coming along? sore hands yet?

[popeyestruck]

Originally Posted by dsraven

hey popeye, how is the sanding coming along? sore hands yet?

Yes . No feelings on fingertips and my wrists are swollen. I sanded and buffed about 50 hours and I'm done. Its not perfect but its not a show truck. Its my daily driver

[mr48chev]

If you painted it and sanded and buffed for 50 hours My guess is that others will think it looks far better than you do.

I'd far rather see a guy go to events with your attitude about the truck than the guys who are so freaking worried about winning a trophy that they either call around to see who else will be at the show or actually walk around the show deciding if their truck or car can beat other similar rigs out of an award. Trophy hunters usually don't last long in this hobby.

I've got a first place in radical custom AD truck trophy from the 1982 Chevy GMC truckin Nationals in Ogden Utah. There are two reasons that I have it. First the Rod and Custom dream truck that was at the show has never been shown in competition. Second was that I had the only truck in the class. At the awards I said that I appreciated the award but I may have had more bragging rights with my buddies back home if I had come in second to the dream truck.

If anyone has the copy of Pickups and Panels that had that show in it and has a photo of my truck, my son John and myself in it I would really appreciate a copy of that photo.

[popeyestruck]

Painted in my driveway. I did everything from start to finish . Bodywork ,mechanical ,paint all stuff I never did before. Its not perfect but I'm proud of myself. I always wonder how many cars in shows are done by the owner or just paid for. I wish I had the time and money when I was younger to build cars. Its a great hobby and would have kept me occupied enough that I wouldnt have done stupid ****

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by popeyestruck

Painted in my driveway. I did everything from start to finish . Bodywork ,mechanical ,paint all stuff I never did before. Its not perfect but I'm proud of myself. I always wonder how many cars in shows are done by the owner or just paid for. I wish I had the time and money when I was younger to build cars. Its a great hobby and would have kept me occupied enough that I wouldnt have done stupid ****

I'm one who has always done most all of my own work because I couldn't afford to pay someone else to do it. I would have been far better off to have the "local gun' spray it when I painted it red than shoot it myself though. Hopefully one of my first auto mechanics students has good enough health to do one more paint job and is willing to shoot the color I want at the time.

I respect those who want to do as much of their own work as possible but you will never see me badmouth someone who farms part or all of the work out for what ever reason. I've got a friend who has built and maintains several hot rods, custom trucks and cars for folks who might never turn a wrench on them and maintains those vehicles for them and that supports his family pretty well. Those folks are very successful in their own fields and would never have the time or skills to build their own rig. On the other hand I am not found of the gold chainer trophy hunters who pay extra big bucks to have a car built and have a "crew" who hauls the car around to shows and sets the car up at the show and said owner flys in for the weekend and plays car guy. You see that at Goodguys events.

As far as time spent doing stupid ******** as long as you didn't end up in the hospital or jail that is called life experience. If you sit there and think about it for a minute the most boring people you know are the guys who only have one interest and are very single focus no matter what that interest is. The guy who is only into cars/trucks, golf, fishing, watching hockey, watching baseball or what ever else is always the most boring individual to be around in the group.

[dsraven]

popeye, good on you for doing the truck challenge. seeing the potential and having that dream to chase, then following through to the finish. lots of guys start but then get overwhelmed and don't know what to do next. their project sits till it gets sold for cheap or, in some cases, it gets dragged to the metal recycler. my nephew works at a metal recycler and says they have a few of those come through lately and sometimes it's because it is so expensive to buy the parts that the owners give up.
when you get a few minutes and the feeling comes back, snap some pics of the project so we can all get inspired. sound nice.

[popeyestruck]

Originally Posted by dsraven

popeye, good on you for doing the truck challenge. seeing the potential and having that dream to chase, then following through to the finish. lots of guys start but then get overwhelmed and don't know what to do next. their project sits till it gets sold for cheap or, in some cases, it gets dragged to the metal recycler. my nephew works at a metal recycler and says they have a few of those come through lately and sometimes it's because it is so expensive to buy the parts that the owners give up.
when you get a few minutes and the feeling comes back, snap some pics of the project so we can all get inspired. sound nice.

I will . Still have a couple things to finish like hood alignment then I'll post some pics. This forum helped sp much .I wouldnt have been able to do it without everyones help. One day no one will be able to work on these old trucks. I had a heart attack last september and the truck was all disassembled. Ended up have a quintuple bypass but was back working on the truck in a couple weeks. All I could think was my daughter wouldnt be able to finish it and someone would give pennies for it.

[dsraven]

sorry to hear about the medical issue but it sounds like you got right back on it pretty quick.
"old man fixing stuff" has a video on several things he did on his 4 eyed task force. one of them is on panel alignment and how the cab can be turned on the frame to get the hood alignment to fit better side to side. the driver's front cab mount bolt becomes the pivot point. the other bolt holes are apparently larger and allow some adjustment to happen.
https://youtu.be/RgUwd9PdWiA?si=gXmJx1PPUmG_KOM5