Bad starter or bad battery?

[FLYNAVY30]

For a couple weeks now, my truck intermittently wont start. You always get the prominent click from the starter, but only one. Up until this morning, after 2 or 3 attempts, it would crank over and start. At this point Im assuming its a weak battery as the ground and all other connections to the starter look good. It does fire up when I jump it...again...all signs point to a bad battery. I just wanted to get some input on the starter potentially going bad as Im driving this thing to Maine from Norfolk this weekend.

Thanks

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by FLYNAVY30

For a couple weeks now, my truck intermittently wont start. You always get the prominent click from the starter, but only one. Up until this morning, after 2 or 3 attempts, it would crank over and start. At this point Im assuming its a weak battery as the ground and all other connections to the starter look good. It does fire up when I jump it...again...all signs point to a bad battery. I just wanted to get some input on the starter potentially going bad as Im driving this thing to Maine from Norfolk this weekend.

Thanks

Remove the battery, and take it to your local auto parts store and have it tested. Then, go from there
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[tommys72]

Take the battery and alt to a parts store. Got em to test both of mine and they were both bad...lol
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[cdowns]

looking at connections is a waste of time unless you happen have xray vision

takin of both battery cables then cleanin to bright and shiny all 5 ends is the right way to approach the problem for mere mortals

[FLYNAVY30]

Originally Posted by cdowns

looking at connections is a waste of time unless you happen have xray vision

takin of both battery cables then cleanin to bright and shiny all 5 ends is the right way to approach the problem for mere mortals

agreed....I just meant that the nut on the starter hadnt backed off creating a loose connection...Ive had that happen before. Ill probably take the battery and alternator to the store later and go from there

[FLYNAVY30]

soooo battery and alternator are both good....turn the key, one good click from the starter and then nothing......ideas??

[melita]

Contacts in the solonid worn or dirty?

[UGLY66]

Try whacking the starter with a rubber mallet or back of a screwdriver - if the starter fires after getting a solid smack, many times the contacts are worn to where they won't make a good contact and/or stick and enable the starter to engage. You may be able to replace just the contacts or rebuild the starter. Very easy and cheaper to rebuild. Plus a little self satisfaction of fixing it yourself, instead of replacing it.

[melita]

Just replace the solonid... your baby deserves it. In a pinch you can turn the contacts in the solonid to provide a fresh surface.

[franken]

Originally Posted by FLYNAVY30

For a couple weeks now, my truck intermittently wont start. You always get the prominent click from the starter, but only one. Up until this morning, after 2 or 3 attempts, it would crank over and start. At this point Im assuming its a weak battery as the ground and all other connections to the starter look good. It does fire up when I jump it...again...all signs point to a bad battery. I just wanted to get some input on the starter potentially going bad as Im driving this thing to Maine from Norfolk this weekend.

Actually this all points to a bad connection.
People have already suggested cleaning them.
Try jumping the solenoid, but don't run yourself over.

[FLYNAVY30]

tried smacking it with a rubber mallet....no luck. I grabbed a new starter from the parts store, but this thing is dead in the parking lot right now and Id really like to get it started once to get it pulled into my garage where I can work on it easier (ie without the snooty HOA getting pissed at me)

[Special-Ed]

take both battery connection off and wire brush them

while battery is disconnected... take every ground wire off and wire brush and reconnect
while battery is disconnected... take every accessable possitive cable off wire brush and reconnect,

with battery disconnected, remove all starter solenoid cables... wire brush and reconnect.

with battery disconected... remove the altinator charge wire and wire brush, reconnect.

and then make sure you actually have a ground wire between the motor, the body and the chassis...

[FLYNAVY30]

replaced the starter....the solenoid was bad....was only seeing .5 volts to the starter....for $44, it was a quick and fairly painless fix

[franken]

True enough.

I had one that freewheeled in the truck, but worked fine on the ground.
It got old putting it in and taking it out so I swapped it for a rebuilt one.

When I was young I'd fix it, but...