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F*ck this truck...

Cntymnty77

Cntymnty77

1/2 ton status
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
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Location
Missouri
so I went over and picked up a friend to go to a super bowl party and half way there, one of my belts started squeaking. Watched the game and made it back to his house. After leaving his place I got outside and tried starting the truck and it was like the starter got stuck or the ignition switch got stuck and the starter got stuck and kept getting power. After several cycles of the key I barely got it to start normally and then headed home. While on the way home, I noticed the lights looked dim. I made it home and kept it running and tested the battery and got 11.2 amps at the battery. Brand new alt and a year old battery (but has been through 2 bad alts).

So.... do you think the belt came loose and the alt stopped charging the battery or did my 3rd alt shit out on me in a year? I’m getting sick of this electrical bullshit.
 
There are a myriad of things that could cause the charging issues. Here are a few to start with.

Battery cables not tight/ corroded
Connection on alternator loose
Connection from alternator to battery worn, torn frayed
Alternator belt not tight enough.

The starting issue has nothing to do with the alternator/charging problems.
 
Vombrown said:
There are a myriad of things that could cause the charging issues. Here are a few to start with.

Battery cables not tight/ corroded
Connection on alternator loose
Connection from alternator to battery worn, torn frayed
Alternator belt not tight enough.

The starting issue has nothing to do with the alternator/charging problems.
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Damn! I’ve replaced the battery connections and they are brand new.. along with the wires to and from the alt. The starter is new as of a couple weeks ago as well. I didn’t figure the starting issue and charging issue were connected but I’m getting tired of sh*t all hitting at once.

I’ve installed new grounds with heavy grounding cable and I think this is my 3rd alternator because the first two that the parts store sold me were the wrong ones. Got the new one and was charging perfectly. But the battery lived through both of those bad/ wrong alts. Maybe I need to replace the ignition switch and battery?
 
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I guess I should mention too, when the starter kept cycling, I turned the truck off and it kept trying to start but when I turned the key to the acc. spot it would kill it.
 
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I've seen low batteries cause a starter to stick the solenoid. Was it turning the engine over quickly or slowly? If slowly, I would charge up your battery and start there.
 
Vombrown said:
I've seen low batteries cause a starter to stick the solenoid. Was it turning the engine over quickly or slowly? If slowly, I would charge up your battery and start there.
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It seemed to be normal. But maybe on the slow side like a low battery.
 
I had a caprice that had that same thing happen on a road trip when I was in college. Drove 10 hours in the dark with continually dimmer and dimmer headlights in winter..to scared to shut it off to check afraid it wouldnt start and we were in BFE... The alternator had loosened up enough to let the belt slip but still look like it was spinning normal, just wasnt charging enough to keep up with the draw plus recharge..Got to the inlaws and figured it out, tightened the belt and it was GTG....I'd be looking at that
 
Blazooki said:
I had a caprice that had that same thing happen on a road trip when I was in college. Drove 10 hours in the dark with continually dimmer and dimmer headlights in winter..to scared to shut it off to check afraid it wouldnt start and we were in BFE... The alternator had loosened up enough to let the belt slip but still look like it was spinning normal, just wasnt charging enough to keep up with the draw plus recharge..Got to the inlaws and figured it out, tightened the belt and it was GTG....I'd be looking at that
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I’ll look at that in the morning. It was making noise and the belt is good.
 
Sounds like your ignition switch failed to return all the way to the "on" position ,when the starter refused to disengage...turning the key back to "ACC" kind of points to the adjustment of the switch on the colum is not right,maybe the switch moved on the mounting bolts,the bolts go in slots on the switch so you can adjust the travel of the activation rod from the lock tumbler..

The starter solenoid may have got hung up in the crank position too,but seeing you were able to get it to stop cranking by turning the key further back,it is probably not the cause,but I'd be suspect of any "new" or rebuilt starter regardless...
I had one that the two screws holding the solenoid to the starter nose come loose a week after I installed it,and one night when I went to start it,it kept on cranking after the engine ran..

Another thing to check is the wires to the solenoid,the purple "crank" wire can turn when you go to tighten it,and touch the positive battery cable next to it or the "R" terminal (not used on a truck without points ,but gets power while cranking) quite easily,and make the starter keep turning..having the starter drive gear too close to the flywheel can jam it too,and keep it cranking,it may need a shim..

I'd suspect you have a heavy short circuit somewhere that is intermittent and making the battery and alternator put out maximum amps and is killing them both ..
 
diesel4me said:
Sounds like your ignition switch failed to return all the way to the "on" position ,when the starter refused to disengage...turning the key back to "ACC" kind of points to the adjustment of the switch on the colum is not right,maybe the switch moved on the mounting bolts,the bolts go in slots on the switch so you can adjust the travel of the activation rod from the lock tumbler..

The starter solenoid may have got hung up in the crank position too,but seeing you were able to get it to stop cranking by turning the key further back,it is probably not the cause,but I'd be suspect of any "new" or rebuilt starter regardless...
I had one that the two screws holding the solenoid to the starter nose come loose a week after I installed it,and one night when I went to start it,it kept on cranking after the engine ran..

Another thing to check is the wires to the solenoid,the purple "crank" wire can turn when you go to tighten it,and touch the positive battery cable next to it or the "R" terminal (not used on a truck without points ,but gets power while cranking) quite easily,and make the starter keep turning..having the starter drive gear too close to the flywheel can jam it too,and keep it cranking,it may need a shim..

I'd suspect you have a heavy short circuit somewhere that is intermittent and making the battery and alternator put out maximum amps and is killing them both ..
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This just makes me want to get a new harness and rewire the whole damn thing more and more..

Yeah, with my luck so far, I wouldn’t doubt the new starter was bad two. My last new fuel pump lasted half a day before it went out.

I need to open up that column and poke around. Sometimes the tumbler will stick when I try to start it and it won’t turn. After some fiddling, it will eventually turn.
 
I know that you probably said somewhere, but what parts store are you using?
I would never buy a starter or alternator from any of the big chain stores , except Napa. Granted, I have not bought anything like that from NAPA for my personal stuff in decades , but I did get a few for pick-ups at work and had good luck.
 
6872xtc said:
I know that you probably said somewhere, but what parts store are you using?
I would never buy a starter or alternator from any of the big chain stores , except Napa. Granted, I have not bought anything like that from NAPA for my personal stuff in decades , but I did get a few for pick-ups at work and had good luck.
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I’ve been using Oreilly’s. All the parts I get are the lifetime warranty parts. Just in case..
 
Well, I can tell you that is a LARGE part of the problem. I am not being a snob, that's a crap shoot!
I have a buddy who owns a starter and alternator shop. He has been in business over 20 years. He has torn some of the chain store parts down and found used brushes and other things.
I gave a new AutoZone starter to a coworker. I got it off of a truck that I parted. The sticker was still nice. He said his suburban isn't starting when warm, but he likes what he sees as a good deal....
He has done 2 starters in the last year on 2 trucks, I have replaced none in the last 3 years on my 5 trucks.
I would go elsewhere , but I don't know what your situation is.
 
I really wish that you were close to me, as I have GOOD spare parts here on the shelf since I like to upgrade....

But I hope that you can get some good parts.
 
6872xtc said:
I really wish that you were close to me, as I have GOOD spare parts here on the shelf since I like to upgrade....

But I hope that you can get some good parts.
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It’s sparse here finding good OE parts. You would think there would be more in this area but it’s slim pick’ns.
 
6872xtc said:
Well, I can tell you that is a LARGE part of the problem. I am not being a snob, that's a crap shoot!
I have a buddy who owns a starter and alternator shop. He has been in business over 20 years. He has torn some of the chain store parts down and found used brushes and other things.
I gave a new AutoZone starter to a coworker. I got it off of a truck that I parted. The sticker was still nice. He said his suburban isn't starting when warm, but he likes what he sees as a good deal....
He has done 2 starters in the last year on 2 trucks, I have replaced none in the last 3 years on my 5 trucks.
I would go elsewhere , but I don't know what your situation is.
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Around here we have Oreillys, Auto Zone and NAPA. From what I’ve read on here, they all sound about the same.
 
Napa used to be the best, but now they carry the cheap crap too. You really just have to specify which level of quality you want. Almost all part stores can get better parts, but they also have junk.

I’d just order from Rockauto and look for a decent line.
 
Abusfullofnuns said:
Napa used to be the best, but now they carry the cheap crap too. You really just have to specify which level of quality you want. Almost all part stores can get better parts, but they also have junk.

I’d just order from Rockauto and look for a decent line.
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I may have to resort to that. I thought I’d been buying the “good” or “best” parts as I’m replacing stuff but I also have something else against me. Ever since I turned 16, the universe has decided to make my life a living hell. I am the walking, talking, breathing example of Murphy’s law. Haha! I laugh but if it can go wrong with me, it will. If it wasn’t for for bad luck I wouldn’t have any.

I’ve also started buying stuff from amazon prime and so far, that stuff has turned out to be more reliable than the parts store stuff.
 
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