Starter Help!

[FrankenstiensGarage]

Hi,

First time poster so please excuse if this issue has been covered previously. I can't seem to find any content on it...

I am reviving a old farm truck - '67 C10 Fleetside, Inline 6 250. I've redone all the wiring and replaced all spark plugs, wires, distributor, solenoid, coil, carb, battery, battery cables and installed a new electronic ignition. I seem to have a parasitic draw on the battery of 2.15. I have done the fuse panel check multiple times and I can't seem to isolate the issue. I'm down to thinking the alternator is now the problem. But I can't turn it over to perform any checks on the charge or the power it's pulling.

Essentially if the battery is charged up, I can start the truck but it will run for about 5-10min then completely die. After that, when I try to restart, there is absolutely no power being produced to activate the starter. I've even checked the solenoid with at this point, and that seems to have the power to kick the starter but there is no delivery when turning the ignition over.

Greatly appreciate some pointers or tips on how to isolate the draw... Pulling whats left of my hair out at the moment!! Lol

Thanks!
BB

[72bowtiestepper]

While the truck is running, check the voltage across the + and - terminals of the battery with a voltmeter. It should read at least 13 1/2 volts or more with the truck running. If not the voltage regulator or alternater is not charging, & the engine is running off the battery alone. Try this first.

[davepl]

Take the alternator to Shucks (or Canadian Tire or whatever) and have it bench tested to make sure it doesn't have a bad diode.

With the truck running, try pulling the battery cable. If the truck dies immediately, your alternator is doing nothing (or consuming power, even worse).

[franken]

"I seem to have a parasitic draw on the battery of 2.15." 2.15 what?

[FrankenstiensGarage]

Thanks everyone for the tips. Unfortunately I no longer can get the truck running at this time. I've charged the battery overnight and went back to start this morning (truck is stored in my garage that has a temp of 22 celsius). I'm not getting any clicking or any sort of firing.

The 2.15 is the amp draw I measure when the negative battery lead is removed and the millimetre positive node is on the lead. While the negative millimetre is on the negative post of the battery. From all the research I've done, there shouldn't be any amp draw when this is performed. And if there is, this is related to the fuse panel (in my truck there is only one panel under the driver side dash). As mentioned, I've pulled all the fuses and nothing seems to register.

Thanks for everyones input!

[davepl]

I'll say it once again because I don't think it stuck the first time, or I was unclear, but: remember the parasitic draw could be INSIDE the alternator, and the current flow you're seeing is to ground from the battery. I bet (a) that flow goes away with the alternator running but the battery missing, and (b) that the cause of the problem is internal to the alternator.

Now that's a very uninformed guess based on the symptoms, don't take it to the bank or anything. But do check to make sure all the diodes in the alternator are good.

Cheap and easy test is when its running. If the alternator gets hot, you know its the alternator. Doesn't rule it out if not, but it's a quick test. Let it run 2-3 minutes and check it.

[FrankenstiensGarage]

Thanks Dave, I'll give this a shot.

Stay tuned!

[68is4me]

If you doing the Parasitic draw test with you meter. You should be able to just unhook you alternator and the amp draw should stop.

As for your no start maybe stuck solenoid, bad starter, bad ignition switch, blown fusible link?

[franken]

If you're drawing 2A, that's quite a bit, but has little to do with starting the truck. Charge the battery at 10A for 24 hours while disconnected from the truck on one side. Connect the battery and measure the Voltage.
Does it crank?
What's the battery Voltage while cranking?
Now, what's the battery voltage with the key off?
With the - terminal disconnected?

[old Chevy guy]

check all your battery connections and your ground to the block and the body and your plus side to the starter. then check your connection to the solenoid from the purple wire. sound like the battery connections are bad or the solenoid is junk or your battery. have you had the battery load tested? even if the starter was bad the solenoid should click if the battery is charged . even if there was a draw it should crank with a charged battery and even with a draw I doubt anything but a dead short would kill the battery in 5 or 10 minutes. curious to see how this one plays out.

[FrankenstiensGarage]

Hi All,

Thought I would post an update on my situation.

I dug through all the wiring throughout the entire truck and i was able to find the source of the problem. There seemed to be some type of short coming from my ignition. I pulled the ignition apart and found that the ignition plug that was attached to the wiring harness was completely melted inside the ignition. The solenoid purple cable along with the alternator cable connections were melted and completely destroyed!

I've installed the new ignition with a new plug, spliced all the wires accordingly and now the truck is turning over and no longer exhibiting a draw.

THANK YOU everyone who passed on some pointers on this issue! Greatly appreciated! I'll post some photos of my project soon.

Cheers!