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Power Issues Still HELP!


Ranger Kip

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 2, 2010
Messages
2,897
City
Wellsboro, PA
Vehicle Year
1999
Transmission
Automatic
My credo
Confused and Intolerant
Just to recap, here is what is happening.

I hook the battery up (good charge), go to start the truck, and the electric kills and I hear a click from the starter. Being told it might be the solenoid, I adusted the electricity so it worked again, and then use plyers to bypass the solenoid, and it kills the electricity and I hear a click from the starter.

Now, a month prior to this incident, I would turn the ignition to start the truck and the starter would click, over and over very fast. I was told this was a weak battery, well, it did the same thing while being jumped by an F150, and a different battery.

I hear the same click now that I did with before, only it does it once, and stops.

Now, when I crossed the poles of the solenoid, there was some sparks from the connection, then a cutout. I move the positive battery terminal, and it turns back on, this being with and without the pressure of a vice-clamp on it.

I have no idea whats going on.... really.... any ideas? suggestions? experience with these issues?
 
Last edited:
turn the headlights on and see if they go way dim when you bypass the solenoid... if they do this means the starter is shorted and is drawing too much current and you'll need a new one.

i would start by checking and cleaning all the battery cables/connections.

if you have a voltmeter connect the positive probe at one end of the cable and the negative probe onto the other end of the cable and try cranking..

the voltage should show less than 1volt- indicating there is not excess resistance in the cable.. do this for all 3 cables and from the pos. battery post to the starter.

if the voltage is 1volt or more then you need to clean/tighten the connections or replace the cables
 
The electricity kills over, if I have anything on in the truck, even if its all off, it dies when I either cross the solenoid, or use the key.
 
you're not being clear. all power is lost when you try the starter? or when you try to use anything at all?

like i said, if the starter is shorted and drawing too much, it will kill the battery.

but check the connections and cables first. electricity cannot flow through dirt/corrosion/rust
 
if it (the starter) clicks once(like it wants to engage)- THEN you lose all power it is the negative battery terminal or cable

- follow the NEG from the battery to where it mounts to the engine block and make sure the cable is not broken or frayed and bolted solidly to the block.



If it (The starter solonoid/relay) clicks repeatedly in fast succession cick click click click etc... then the battery needs to charged/ replaced
 
Everything is fine until I turn the ignition or cross the solenoid.

When I do either of those, the electricity to the truck stops instantly, and I hear the starter click once. I move the negative battery terminal, and the electricity is back on in the truck, but the ignition will cause it to repeat the electric loss.
 
sounds like a bad connection. again... check and clean the connections and then get back to us
 
have 4 times, its not the connection, if it were, then my vice clamp would have fixed the issue the last 3 times


My apologies, its the positive pole that is causing me issues, because I turn that pole and it regains electricity.
 
have 4 times, its not the connection, if it were, then my vice clamp would have fixed the issue the last 3 times


My apologies, its the positive pole that is causing me issues, because I turn that pole and it regains electricity.

check ALL connections. check where the battery cables bolt onto the engine and bolt onto the solenoid and starter.

vise grips won't fix a bad cable. thats what a voltage drop test is for. what if you're using vise grips on a crusty terminal? clean that too.. every spec of dirt/corrosion is resistance that doesn't belong there.

corrosion can seep deep inside the battery cables where you can't even see it. the only way to test for this is to use a voltmeter
 
its clean, all clean, it worked just a month ago, but the starter would click very fast.

adsm08 heard what it was doin and he said it was a weak battery, so did my dad, but this battery is next to full with a 15volt reading.
 
you need new battery cables I am sure of it replace them and get a new battery problem solved.
 
what bone yard? you mean the local parts dealers? yeah, NO, I can get new ones for less, and I just want ones that will work for now =P

Hell, I just want to start the damned thing
 
Just because your battery measures 15v doesn't mean it's good. It could be dropping a lot when actually under a load, such as starting. Also, get rid of the vice grips, that is probably one of your main problems right there. When you get a electrical shutoff like that, that comes back when you move the terminal, it means there is a weak connection being made. You can get those screw on terminals for like $3 at any auto parts store and they'll do a hell of a lot better job than a pair of vice grips that don't give a solid connection even tight.

I had a similar issue where my starter wouldn't kick over. I thought it was the starter too. Turned out to be a bad negative terminal that seemed tight but really wasn't. I replaced the terminal and everything was good to go.
 

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