Starter Problem

[Fatback]

I have a problem with my truck......here goes:
Every now and then, When I try to start the truck, I turn the key it get a click and nothing else. I turn the key off and on 4-5 times it makes the click every time without starter engagement. Then turn the key it turns over like nothing is wrong. It will sometimes go for a week, and start every time without incident, then it does it.
I have cleaned every ground I can find, the battery cables are good, I have replaced the starter and 2 soleniods. I have also by jumped the ignition switch with a jump wire to eliminate the switch. I have hooked a remote starter, and it starts every time....I dont get it.
Any ideas??

[alf1096]

I would think that the pos batt cable is grounding out somewhere. In my truck the wire coating was melted a little bit against the exhaust but no bear wire and it would click like you are saying.

[cdowns]

clean all ground cables and both battery cables

[jhow66]

Does it do this when it is hot and cold both?

[Fatback]

Originally Posted by jhow66

Does it do this when it is hot and cold both?

Both....Hot or cold. It an intermittant thing. It will alway's eventually start, it never drags. Just one click.....switch it off and on about 4 times then it starts like nothing is wrong.

cdowns: I have cleaned every ground I can find.....battery to engine ...engine to frame and cab to frame, as well as the battery terminals.

alf1096: I thought the same thing, So I bought a new cable....still the same.
It has me baffled.

[fastwillie 696969]

check the flywheel maybe bad tooth or teeth grind just my .2

[jhow66]

Check purple wire from ing. switch to neutral safety switch to starter to see if you have a loose connection (if loose will show a burnt look). If ok check the main power wire (#10 red) to ing. for the same condition. From reading your post it sounds like you are not getting enough voltage to selenoid part of the time. Next time it does this take a volt meter and see how much voltage you are getting to the purple wire at selenoid. The reason it will start when you jump it is that it is getting full voltage. To test remove purple wire from selenoid and run a wire (at least 12 guage) from selenoid to neutral safety switch and see if it starts ok. If it does then that wire probably has a bad place somewhere. If it does not start any better try the test on the other side of switch to ing. switch.

[55paneltrk]

I agree that it is a problem in the wire from the key thru the nuetral safty switch to the solenoid. If it works every time with a remote start switch hooked up to the solenoid, then you are not getting enough power from the switch wire to close the solenoid completly. Shaun.

[Fatback]

I appreciate the responses. I will check out the purple wire. I did replace the connector end at the solenoid this morning because it looked like it had seen better days. Just need to check the rest of it. I wont have a neutral saftey switch with the 3 speed, so at least that make it easier??
Thanks Again!!

[Fatback]

Seems I have Figured it out. The previous owner(s) have rigged the wires on the truck through the years. I decided today to try and clean up the spaghetti mess of wire. I removed anything that didnt look original. some kind of thing that attached to the firewall with a wire running to the "cluster feed" that was just laying in the engine compartment loose. Also removed an aftermarket amp gage. I put a new wire from the positive post to the little junction block. All in all just cleaned up all the mess, and inadvertantly fixed the intermittant click of the starter....so far, so good!!!!!
That made my day...now I'll need to figure out how to make the original amp gage work......I guess thats gonna be a new thread.
Thanks to all who responded!

[john]

A good place to start on the ammeter is the 4 amp fuses. One should be on pass side by batt connected to junction block and the other on drivers side in the neighborhood of the voltage reg. They look like black bulges in the wire and pull apart. John