K5 Won't Start....Help!

[johnny reb]

K5 Won\'t Start....Help!

Went to start my 86 K5 and got nothing. No clicking noise, nothing. Head lights don't work, auto door locks don't work, dome light doesn't work. Checked voltage on battey and it was 12.5, didn't check while I was cranking though. Tried to jump it but that didn't work. Banged on the starter and that didn't work. Checked fuses under dash and none were blown. Battery is 2 yrs old (Die Hard Gold), starter is about a year old. If the starter was bad, I should still get power to the headlights right? If the battery was bad, it wouldn't be showing 12.5 volts, right? Could it be the alternator? Are there any other fuses I need to be checking? How can I narrow this down? What's even worse it that it's stuck in the underground garage at my work. Why couldn't this happen when it was in the garage at home!!!!

 

[rich'90]

Re: K5 Won\'t Start....Help!

Check all your battery cables. If they are bad or the ground is bad then you would get the same symptoms. Also check the connections to the actual battery.
Good luck.

Go heavy or Go home

 

[fr8train]

Re: K5 Won\'t Start....Help!

I secind Rich90, wiggle or remove the batt. cables and clean them then reinstall. If you have a bunch of funk on them this is what can happen. If you sprinkle some soda water on the connections it can remove surface funk to ease the process without messing up the lead bolts.

 

[backlash]

Re: K5 Won\'t Start....Help!

You could have a bad cell in the battery and you could still show 12 volts (rare). Did you try to jump it?

If it starts from a jump try what the other guys suggested. If that doesn't work find a VAT 40 at nearly any parts store and have them do a load test.

Good Luck

 

[DOUGHBOY]

Re: K5 Won\'t Start....Help!

it could also be a fusable link

guns dont kill postal workers do.
CENTRAL ILLINOIS

 

[Thunder]

Re: K5 Won\'t Start....Help!

There should be 2 wires coming out of the positive termnial of your battery. 1 wire (the big one) goes to the starter. The other (the smaller diamater wire) goes to either the alternator or a junction box. This wire(the small one) often corrodes and breaks off right at the battery terminal. When this happens you will get all the problems you stated because this wire supplies all the power to run everything, including the ignition switch and soelnoid. Look around under the hood by the battery and find this wire and make sure it is connected. There also may be a fuesable link in this wire which may be shorted. I hope this helps and good luck.

 

[DMK]

Re: K5 Won\'t Start....Help!

Yes battery can still show 12v and not start truck. Check cables as previously stated and try a jump start. Let us know how you make out.