1998 T100, turn key on, just click and dead
 

Hi,

I have a 1998 T100 with 250k miles on it that I love. I recently replaced the battery, I don't think that is relevant, but wanted to put it out there.

I recently got in my truck, turned on the key, the lights all came on the dash as it should, but then when I went to Start, I got a click and all the lights went out.

Wait for a little while, can turn the key to On and roll down the windows, but as soon as key goes to Start, click and it is as if battery disconnected.

Not sure what the issue is, please help.

Thank you,
Sammer

Are the battery terminals clean? Are the cables to the battery properly adjusted?

The battery terminals are nice and clean, I traced the ground wire down to the block and made sure it was secure. I will trace the other wires and make sure good connections.

Thanks,
Sammer

100% a bad connection somewhere. Usually a loose or dirty battery terminal clamp.

Classic - I did not check the battery terminals all that well, they were tight and clean, and had a light coat of vaseline on them (to keep the corrosion down). But, of course they were I had just changed the battery a couple months ago. I took loose the ground wire at the engine block and cleaned it with no change. I removed the starter (pain). But the starter tested fine. So I cleaned up the leads and wires and reinstalled that. I then removed the battery terminals and cleaned those. Somewhere in all that I corrected what was definitely a short and the truck started right up.

I probably did not need to remove the starter, but lesson learned (that lesson being to start with the simplest stuff first).

Thanks guys,
Sammer

Sometimes that's just how it goes. You'll never know where the problem was but at least it's fixed.