Dam thing left me! Starter?

[Foosified]

forgive my ignorance... I believe the solenoid on my starter is crapped out. It's a 6month old rebuilt starter from napa. Turn the key and all I get is a ticking noise. I also here the ticking noise in the cab coming from the silver box, which is mounted to the firewall next to the steering column and above the fuse box. There is wires which connect to this box on the other side of the firewall and also into the side of it from within the cab. It gets really warm, but I am wondering if that is because the solenoid is pooched.

What's your thoughts... try a new starter?? Battery seems fine, but I'll have to verify I have 12v.

[stllookn]

If you are hearing a decent click, it usually is the solenoid and it is working but the starter is not engaging. Could be a frozen Bendix unit on the starter. Use a jumper wire from the battery to the outboard pole on the solenoid to see if it engages. Have the truck in PARK and the EMERGENCY BRAKE on...don't ask me why I know this is a good idea...LOL! This will bypass the neutral start switch and ignition and let you know if the starter soleniod and starter are operating correctly.

[chipflyer]

Whack the starter with a hammer, don't get carried away just give it a couple solid taps, it has been know to temporarily fix your problem.

Jeff

[Foosified]

Well, i tried a new starter and get the same symptoms. I noticed that my temp guage needle is flapping back and forth with trying to crank. Doesn't it normally just go all the way to the right while cranking?? the little silver box on the firewall has 3 wires going to it red/green and black. Is this a voltage regulator and if so would that be my problem or porbably not?

Could it be there is not enough voltage at the solenoid wire. How to check. My battery had 12.16v, so it seems good. I think it is a wiring issue, but where do I start. What does it tell me when the little silver box is hot. I need to find out what the heck that box is because I'm probably confusing the heck out of some of you. It's right next to the fuse box?!

[woodrow59]

Good ideas and believe me I've done them all.

As a DA (dumb as!) I've always found that after checking everything I thought was wrong I went simple,

Battery cables, check them, clean them, replace them !!!!

There is a phrase for this which I never remember to follow,,,,,,,
,KISS (keep it simple stupid) LOLOL

[Sammy]

Horn relay on the firewall just to the right of fuse box? Then there is usually a backup switch/ neutral safety switch then below the fuse box dimmer switch. The horn relay if screwed up will get really hot, enough to almost take your finger prints. Ask me..

[woodrow59]

temp gauge should not change when starting,,,,, it should only change as your engine heats up,,,,,,

[woodrow59]

Try unplugging that little silver box and see what happens,,,,,

[Foosified]

Tried unplugging and starting and got the same symptoms, so I think that rules out the silver box, which I believe is the horn relay. I imagine my best bet is to replace the 12v cable and run a new solenoid line.