RTH - Starter clicks won't crank (1 Viewer)

[Box Rocket]

I've been working on addressing leaks, one of those was my power steering pump. I had the battery out to rebuild the power steering pump. Got the pump reinstalled, put the battery back in and tried to start the truck to cycle the steering and refill the fluid. But, the truck won't start. Starter will click, but not crank. I though maybe the starter was just sticking so I've tapped it with a hammer, no start. I then, pulled the starter to check the contacts which still looked ok (little bit worn). I had a spare set of contacts so I replaced them and reinstalled the starter. Have checked all connections and battery voltage seems fine. (Group31 battery). Still just a click, no start.

Any advice on what to look at?

 

[NLXTACY]

Fusible link hooked up?

 

[Box Rocket]

Fusible link hooked up?

Yep, checked for power fore and aft of the the fusible link and showed power

 

[NLXTACY]

I'm sure there are other checks but I'd run a 12awg wire from the battery positive to the solenoid to see if it isn't something in the rebuild itself. I mean, rebuilding it is really simple but who knows...you know?

 

[Box Rocket]

I'm sure there are other checks but I'd run a 12awg wire from the battery positive to the solenoid to see if it isn't something in the rebuild itself. I mean, rebuilding it is really simple but who knows...you know?

I hear ya, What's odd is that nothing changed from removing to reinstalling the PS pump. Everything worked to pull it into the garage, then just R&R'd the pump then no start. That's what triggered the rebuild of the starter in the first place.

 

[george_tlc]

Starter is simple.

Needs the BIG 12V feed direct from the battery.
Needs power to the solenoid (via ignition key).

I presume you didn't bench test it before re-installing?

Just needs jumper cables from battery to starter and a second lead to apply +12V to the solenoid. Foot on starter body so it doesn't try to run away when it spins up.

cheers,
george.

 

[Box Rocket]

Starter is simple.

Needs the BIG 12V feed direct from the battery.
Needs power to the solenoid (via ignition key).

I presume you didn't bench test it before re-installing?

Just needs jumper cables from battery to starter and a second lead to apply +12V to the solenoid. Foot on starter body so it doesn't try to run away when it spins up.

cheers,
george.

Because I had one in the cabinet I replaced the fusible link, so now there's a new one of those installed.

Removed the starter and hooked up power. Still just clicks

 

[mudgudgeon]

Solenoid looks and sounds like it's doing exactly what it should.
Seems like the motor is no good.

Right about now, I'd be swapping in a replacement

Sucks that stuff like this comes out of left field when you're fixing something unrelated

 

[george_tlc]

Pull motor out of starter housing and check brushes and commutator and connections on brush holders etc.

cheers,
george.

 

[thatcabledude]

Battery dead?

 

[jonheld]

The last time this happened to me, I forgot to put the starter wire back on the positive battery terminal. Scratched my head for a while.

 

[Box Rocket]

Battery dead?

Nope. Tested with two different batteries that are good.

 

[PDoyle]

How old are the pos. and neg cables?

 

[cnorm5623]

So.... in the video of you bench testing with battery and jumper cables it looks like you have the negative cable hooked to the side of the solenoid that had the wire to the starter motor. with this connection you will engage the solenoid but be shorting the battery across the contacts and not energizing the starter motor.

pos+ of battery to the bare post on the starter solenoid
neg- of battery clamped to one of the ears that you bolt to the motor.
jump battery pos+ to the trigger like you were doing
leave the rubber cover on the other post of the solenoid that has the wire into the starter motor.

along the lines of this(not my image, stole from google)

 

[Tools R Us]

So.... in the video of you bench testing with battery and jumper cables it looks like you have the negative cable hooked to the side of the solenoid that had the wire to the starter motor. with this connection you will engage the solenoid but be shorting the battery across the contacts and not energizing the starter motor.

pos+ of battery to the bare post on the starter solenoid
neg- of battery clamped to one of the ears that you bolt to the motor.
jump battery pos+ to the trigger like you were doing
leave the rubber cover on the other post of the solenoid that has the wire into the starter motor.

along the lines of this(not my image, stole from google)

This, kinda,,, looks like the ground is where the positive should be. That test shows that the solenoid switch isn't working correctly, if it were, would cause a direct short to the battery, that usually doesn't end well! With the ground to the case, can touch the output side term and the motor should run, confirming motor function.

 

[george_tlc]

Yeah, starter gets its ground from the body of the starter (ground cable from battery goes to engine block and starter bolts to bell housing). One lug of the starter (big one) is the main +ve battery connection and the smaller one is for the solenoid +ve). Clamp battery negative to the housing of the starter where it normally bolts to the bell housing.

cheers,
george.

 

[george_tlc]

Here you go ->

cheers,
george.

 

[Box Rocket]

Was able to test again using the above diagram. Motor still wouldn’t engage. Went and picked up a reman’d starter and tested that in the same way. Worked fine so I installed the reman’d starter. Everything is working now. Thanks for the assistance everyone that responded.