My 83 is having some troubles starting. Went wheeling a week ago and did some heavy winching on my friends Jeep. We finished riding and stopped to take a break and turned the truck off and it sat probably 45 mins while we shot some skeet. Went to get back in my truck and I turned the key and nothing happened. No sounds what so ever. I figured I drained the battery so we put jumper cables on and let it sit 10 mins and then it finally started. Got home that night and charged my battery and it was fine the next few times I have drove the truck but now almost every time I go to start it I turn the key and there is a tick noise (makes a sound once then thats it) and if I turn the key again it will start. I went to autozone and had them test the battery and alternator and they said they are fine. I have plans to put on a GM alternator anyways for winching. Not real sure whats up with the truck. I did go through some water when I was wheeling. Is it possible the distributor may have gotten wet? Or maybe the ignitor got wet? I just thought about that and I will check it when I get home from work tomorrow. There is a storm out right now so I cant check.

 

I did look at some other posts but those people seem to have diff issues. Once it turns over it starts right up.

 

Best I can tell the starter is going bad. I ordered some new contacts to put on it and hopefully that resolves the issue.

 

Check your battery cables. Putting a strain on it from the winch could have got it hot and burnt the contacts,, either at the battery or somewhere down the cable. Just my 2 cents..

 

My starter was gone. check the pics in my build.