RTH electrical help please (1 Viewer)

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Dec 17, 2006
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Location
Central Coast, CA
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www.coastal-aquariums.com
short version: finishing up stereo install and vehicle won't start

longer version: I took apart most of the center of the dash to install the double din stereo, I had to take off most of the connectors for the panel that surrounds the stereo including the hazards, antenna, center diff, rear defroster (all of them on the top row) and the cigarette lighter on the bottom of the panel. The stereo was on as I was making sure that it was still working as I buttoned it all back up, I had connected all of the upper connections and all was fine, when I went to connect the cig lighter the stereo turned off. I fiddled with it for a second and the stereo turned back on and everything else in the rig seemed to work fine except it will not turn over. All of the dash lights light up, the stereo works, all of the switches on the dash work etc. Everything works, it just clicks when I turn the key to the start position.

A little background info that might help. A couple of weeks ago the rig wouldn't start, all of the dash lit up, but it would just click when turned to start position. I tapped on the the battery terminals and it started right up. This happened a couple of times. Once started, it would drive fine, was only an issue when it was turned off with the key. With this in mind, I cleaned and tightened down the battery terminals, but that didn't help the current non starting situation.

I also hooked up the battery to another car with cables to make sure that the battery wasn't just too low to kick the starter over because it had been sitting for a few days and I was listening to the stereo while I was working running the camera wires etc. That didn't help either.

Does this sound like it could be a fuseable link situation? I have heard of many people having fusible links cause electrical issues, but I don't know if everything else would work, other than kicking the starter over if the links were bad. My other thought was a fuse, I dug through most of them and didn't see any that were visually bad. Any specific fuse you would suggest looking at?

Any help is greatly appreciated, need to get the cruiser off of the front lawn.
 
I would be looking into an anti theft device issue. Look up under the dash under the steering wheel and see if you can see an aftermarket device installed.

Are there any non oem switches on or under the dash?

Read this: Help! Alarm took over my truck! - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/help-alarm-took-over-my-truck.795600/
no aftermarket alarms or switches. I've owned this vehicle for 15 years, installed a stereo in it 12 years ago, this is a newer upgrade.
 
Sounds like worn contacts/plunger in the starter. Give the outside of the starter a couple of strong hits and try starting again.
 
Sounds like worn contacts/plunger in the starter. Give the outside of the starter a couple of strong hits and try starting again.
I will give this a shot to rule it out, but the starter is on the newer side. The "click" that I'm getting is in the dash, not at the starter.
 
A couple of weeks ago the rig wouldn't start, all of the dash lit up, but it would just click when turned to start position. I tapped on the the battery terminals and it started right up.
This was an issue before you started the new stereo installation, so the new stereo has little to do with it.
If the fusible links are original, I would replace them as a PM item. For the whole $15 they cost, they should be replaced with new during each battery replacement.
 
I'm with Jon on this one, I'd check your fuses and make sure you arent getting a shot or loss of continuity anywhere before you start banging on things like a monkey.

Check both the dash fuses and the engine bay fuses, sometimes they partially fail causing intermittent power delivery issues...
 
I'm with Jon on this one, I'd check your fuses and make sure you arent getting a shot or loss of continuity anywhere before you start banging on things like a monkey.

Check both the dash fuses and the engine bay fuses, sometimes they partially fail causing intermittent power delivery issues...
To be clear, the starter circuit is its own entity.
The motor side of the starter is connected directly to the battery positive terminal.
The logic for the starter circuit is: FL AM1/Fuse AM1/ignition switch/neutral start switch/starter solenoid.

Nothing else effects that circuit.
 
To be clear, the starter circuit is its own entity.
The motor side of the starter is connected directly to the battery positive terminal.
The logic for the starter circuit is: FL AM1/Fuse AM1/ignition switch/neutral start switch/starter solenoid.

Nothing else effects that circuit.
good call.

I think is still a good idea to check it all anyways. Might be faulty trigger circuit in the ignition system.
 
Did you unplug anything from your ECU? Does your CEL illuminate momentarily when you turn the key to the on position? Whats the state of your battery?
 
To be clear, the starter circuit is its own entity.
The motor side of the starter is connected directly to the battery positive terminal.
The logic for the starter circuit is: FL AM1/Fuse AM1/ignition switch/neutral start switch/starter solenoid.

Nothing else effects that circuit.
The starter cut relay is also in this circuit on vehicles with the alarm system.
 
But...if the starter solenoid is "clicking" then this relay must be working correctly. Correct?
Edit: I missed the part that stated the "click" is from the dash NOT the starter. AND....I missed the part that stated that there was no alarm....
 
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Did you unplug anything from your ECU? Does your CEL illuminate momentarily when you turn the key to the on position?
He has a "no crank", not a "crank-no start". ECU not in play here.
 
I should be more clear, there is a factory alarm in the vehicle, I haven't used it in years, not sure if it still works. I removed the alarm "button" from the dash and used that hole for my CDL switch. There is no aftermarket alarm.

Still not starting. The click that I hear when turning the key is in the dash, not at the starter. I did bang on the starter just in case, no change. Yes, all of the dash lights light up as normal. As far as I can tell, 100% of everything is functioning as normal, it just want turn over when I turn the key. I will be testing the battery with a volt meter shortly and will post up what I get.
 
Which specific fuses would be of concern? I checked pretty much all of them visually last night and didn't see any that were obviously bad. Both fuse panels, inside the truck and in the engine bay.
 
Nooby here, so take this with a grain of salt.
Not sure if this applies, but this is the starting circuit diagram from a 97 - I have the electrical Wiring Diagram book
Battery Voltage check
Switch to ignition position - I would expect the same or very close battery voltage at the coil and igniter
Starter - switch in Start position - I would expect the same or very close battery voltage at the starter terminal
the only other thing in the circuit is the P/N switch - which reading elsewhere can be a problem/need cleaning.?
Cheers
Starting Circuit 97.jpg


Starting Circuit 97.jpg
 

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