Okay, started truck this morning, and went to school, got out of school and started it and went to Home Depot, started it again and left to go to shop for estimate, started it again and went to another Home Depot (didn't have what I wanted first time), started it agin and came home....truck sat for about 4 hours, went to go to school (night class) and it won't even begin to turn over...


All that for this; I know it's "probably the battery", but it's supposed to have another 2.5 years in it, so I was wondering if it was the starter, or alternator, or just a blown relay instead.. anyone have any similar problems?

EDIT: Just found paperwork, new alternator in '01, new starter in '02, new battery (65 month) in '04. BTW, it's a 1986 w/ 22R.

 

I don't know man, sure sounds like a dead battery. I'v had alternaters go bad with almost no warning. That would kill the battery. Or the connection to the battery. Wiggle some stuff to try for a connection.

 

That's sorta what I thought at first, but I hope not... I was looking forward to putting on lockers next week (spring break) and not buy a new alternator... my buddy was saying it might be fuel pump too, but I hear it running when the key is in "ON"

 

If you can clutch start it then it's proly the altern.

 

I don't understand... please explain.....wouldn't it just die out again if the alternator isn't chargoing the battery? I know if your battery's dead you can push start instead of jumping ti, but I don't think it works the other way...

 

does your radio and stuff inside work?

Clean the battery terminals. Coke works good for cleaning. Then try to jump start it. If it works, let it sit there running for a while. If it doesnt die, drive it over to an auto-zone or checker or some other autoparts store. Most will check you alternator for you for free. I wouldnt turn it off in the auto-parts store parking lot though, they will check it with it running. Dont wanna have to jump it there if you can avoid it. If the alternator is putting out correctly, its probably your battery isn't holding....

If it still doesnt turn over when you're jumping it, crawl under and check the connection on the starter. Make sure they haven't wiggled loose or anything.

You can test the starter while it is still on the vehicle too. Run a pretty heavy gauge wire from the positive on the battery. Crawl under the vehicle and find where the positive goes into the starter from the ignition. Quickly tap the wire that you ran from the positive on the battery to the terminal where the positive wire is coming from the ignition. If you here the starter turn and you engine turn it inst the starter. BE SURE YOUR TRUCK IS IN NEUTRAL WITH PARKING BRAKE ON!!!!!!!!!!

basically that's what i would do to trouble shoot whats wrong.

 

Always worked for me. You don't really need the battery to keep the engine running, just to start it. Try push starting it, it should work.