Wondering if any of you more experienced diesel heads can help me understand this weirdness:
Ok, a couple weeks ago I noticed the truck was a little slow on the turnover at startup...the usual dying battery deal. Pulled both batteries, topped them off with purified water and had them slow charged up at the Autozone. It got super hot here in Texas and the batteries got cooked, fluids were low, but they took the charge and I didn't wait until they were totally dead. One battery is getting near to the end of it's stated 3 year life but still it apparently took the charge. One of the negative battery terminals is cracked, but it still makes contact with 90% of the surface area of the terminal so np right?
Later in the week after, upon the first start after a couple days of not driving, I glow fully, turn it over and it fires up strong but is running super rough and there is a loud, unhappy noise coming from the engine area. I jump out, pop the hood and detect that it is coming from the area of the starter, EDIC motor or thereabouts. It is a sound like metal on metal, something spinning ( starter/solenoid?) and screeching, scuttling, not good.
I shut the truck down and this is the weird part-- it keeps running for a few long seconds, fuel is still flowing it seems, and then finally shuts down.
Upon restart, she fires up fine, no screeching, everything is normal.
This has happened once every 5 or so starts now for like a week. Additionally, I am now also experiencing on some start attempts a click, the edic goes into start position, but then nothing. no turnover, no nothing.
This has happened twice now, I check the batteries (good), connections (good except for that crack maybe), tap on the starter, hook up a jump box, all to no avail. Start to get really pissed off and ready to give up, then it turns over just fine and runs normal.
So what the heck is going on? These two scenarios are totally random it seems and intermittent. Is the starter going out/binding up? Is it a relay?
Any input would be greatly appreciated,
Ok, a couple weeks ago I noticed the truck was a little slow on the turnover at startup...the usual dying battery deal. Pulled both batteries, topped them off with purified water and had them slow charged up at the Autozone. It got super hot here in Texas and the batteries got cooked, fluids were low, but they took the charge and I didn't wait until they were totally dead. One battery is getting near to the end of it's stated 3 year life but still it apparently took the charge. One of the negative battery terminals is cracked, but it still makes contact with 90% of the surface area of the terminal so np right?
Later in the week after, upon the first start after a couple days of not driving, I glow fully, turn it over and it fires up strong but is running super rough and there is a loud, unhappy noise coming from the engine area. I jump out, pop the hood and detect that it is coming from the area of the starter, EDIC motor or thereabouts. It is a sound like metal on metal, something spinning ( starter/solenoid?) and screeching, scuttling, not good.
I shut the truck down and this is the weird part-- it keeps running for a few long seconds, fuel is still flowing it seems, and then finally shuts down.
Upon restart, she fires up fine, no screeching, everything is normal.
This has happened once every 5 or so starts now for like a week. Additionally, I am now also experiencing on some start attempts a click, the edic goes into start position, but then nothing. no turnover, no nothing.
This has happened twice now, I check the batteries (good), connections (good except for that crack maybe), tap on the starter, hook up a jump box, all to no avail. Start to get really pissed off and ready to give up, then it turns over just fine and runs normal.
So what the heck is going on? These two scenarios are totally random it seems and intermittent. Is the starter going out/binding up? Is it a relay?
Any input would be greatly appreciated,
