Truck Wont Start

[x's1969]

I have a 1969 Chevy c10 that I just purchased about 2 months ago. I drove it on a Friday and drove well no problems, I go to drive it on Saturday and the truck doesn't start. There was one click when I went to start it and nothing after that. No humming no clicking,nothing. I tried turn my lights on and didn't have any power. Head lights, Tail lights, Turn Signals, dash lights don't work. The starter has 14 volts I go to turn it on and it goes to zero. All the fuses in the fuse box are at 0. The battery, alternator, headlights/headlight wiring harness are new. Just currently lost and have no clue, any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Perpendicular]

Check your battery connections including the ones at the starter and the engine. Sounds to me like there is a corroded connection.

-Paul

[Aberdare]

Originally Posted by Perpendicular

Check your battery connections including the ones at the starter and the engine. Sounds to me like there is a corroded connection.

-Paul

Basics here... Yes! Check Cables, but a battery load test will tell you if you have enough electrons lined up to do the job and turn the starter. Next up is Positive and ground (Negative) connections... If all is good, Bad starter. While a Volt Meter can be useful, an AVR (Amps-Volts-Resistance) meter will be more useful.

Abe

[68c10airstream]

Welcome aboard. Look at the battery cable ends at the battery. If they have been cut and a replacement ends put on and you can see the individual wire strands you will fight this for ever because air, battery acid vapors are getting into the cable strands and getting corroded causing voltage drop under load. Those replacement end clamps were considered "emergency clamps".

If you do replace cables watch out for china crap with fewer strands, and rock hard plastic insulation. American made standard plus brand has been very good if they are still usa sourced.

Being that you have a volt meter, your answers are a test away. Scrape the top of the posts shiny, stick one lead on say the positive post, and pierce the positive cable with the other lead just downstream from the clamp. Have somebody crank it over and read the meter. .3 volts or more equals repair. Ignore if the meter shows a - symbol next to the reading. I just means your leads are reversed from the electrical flow. Do the same at the negative post. Another test is to feel the clamps, etc, while somebody holds the key in the crank position. You may get burned, but the resistance is very warm/hot. Good luck.

To keep it easy, the test stated above makes the meter into a jumper cable because you are parallel to the cable being tested. With resistance present, it's easier for the voltage to go through the meter than through the resistance, so the reading is telling you how much is needed to boost it up to what is needed. It's called a "voltage drop test". Probably the best test i learned for electrical repairs.

[70 C/K 20]

Check all the ground connections.

[57larry]

grounds, then it's fire or fuel

[Steeveedee]

This is the failure mode for modern batteries. Batteries used to fail more gracefully and you had some warning. Now, they just drop dead. Make the checks suggested, and take the battery to a parts store or someone with a tester.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

I had an intermittent starting problem with my driver somewhat recently. Can't say I know how to use volt meters and that yet, but odds are great if your cables are good then your battery is bad. I had a spare battery, starter and ground cable and installed them. The ground cable was definitely bad and in the wrong spot anyhow. At any rate, it starts.

You might check your alternator too.

[demian5]

Check that the connection at the plastic junction at the fender is clean. I had one that wouldn't start after running, it was filthy and had been painted over as well.