AHHHHHHH....help...

[Bowhuntr11]

So about a week or two ago it got cold here in DFW and it started to take a couple times to get my truck to turnover. Guess my battery is dieing or something else is happening...So I planned to get a new battery first because I haven't since I got it.

Well, after that started happening it warmed up again like 2 days later and my truck started fine. So it kinda got put on the back burner.

Then it got cold again a couple days ago, and I haven't been driving it at all.

So last night...I tried to start it and it wouldn't turn over a couple times, then the 4th time I tried it didn't even try to turn over...so I waited a couple more minutes and it started up on the 5th time BUT with a knocking kinda sound So I tried to listen for a minute at where it was coming and it sounded like between the engine and the transmission (it mighta been at the bottom of the engine, I didn't leave it on for long was scaring me too much)...

So then today I go out there because my girlfriend is going to take me up and get a new battery, so I go to unlock my truck and my alarm doesn't work...battery is COMPLETELY dead...well I go pick up the new battery and hook it all back up. And everything comes on light wise...so I try and turn over the engine and all it does is click.

Btw, this is all at my girlfriends house so I don't have any tools really and its late at night, and I only had a small flashlight so I wasn't really able to work on it because my girlfriend was leaving town to go see her family for christmas, so I had to leave it.


So the ideas I have so far are:

Check Starter fuses
Replace Starter solenoid (I replaced it a couple months ago)
See if starter is stuck
Check oil and see if it has any metallic in it


Any others?

 

[362104]

You exp. that L's don't like very cold weather. For some reason mine failed to start as well. I dumped 16 oz. of gas line antifreeze in and waited overnight and it started the next morning. Check out my threads on this.

Good Luck

 

[Bowhuntr11]

You exp. that L's don't like very cold weather. For some reason mine failed to start as well. I dumped 16 oz. of gas line antifreeze in and waited overnight and it started the next morning. Check out my threads on this.

Good Luck

Yeah I read you thread, but mine won't even try and start now...

 

[uncooked]

Maybe that knocking sound you heard was the starter? Check the starter, maybe it took a crap on you.

 

[jerardogav]

The clicking sound that comes from the truck is a dead battery thats what my truck sounds like when its dead. Maybe the new battery didn't have charge. Try charging the battery.

 

[Bowhuntr11]

Maybe...


Oh and btw, the knocking sound was going while it was just running in the driveway, so that makes me think its not just the starter...

 

[uncooked]

Try to hook it up to charger and jump it. If it does fire hop out quick and try and check where that knock is coming from more accurate !

If the starter is indeed staying engaged somewhat it can do some nasty damage.

My old 5.0 did it and it wasn't pretty.

 

[BoosT_AddicT]

Did you double check to see the battery you bought was fully charged?

 

[themadgnome]

So the ideas I have so far are:

Check Starter fuses
See if starter is stuck

+1 on these as well as the charge on the battery. But then again, I don't know all of the cold weather tricks.

 

[Kryo-Genik]

Did you double check to see the battery you bought was fully charged?

He put a new battery in it already brother

 

[LightningLou]

He put a new battery in it already brother

New batteries don't usually come charged. Charge the battery first and let us know. I had to pick up a 30 dollar charger for my battery when i bought it new.

 

[Bowhuntr11]

Today was the first day I could actually work on it for about 30 minutes...I was able to tell that I think the clicking noise was coming from the Starter, and it kind of sounds like the area the grinding noise might have been coming from.

Could it be possible that the starter gets stuck in someway that when the truck is idle it will make a noise?

Anyways, I tried to jump the batter with another truck and still it just clicks from the starter...I am going to try and charge the battery anyways and try again tomorrow...but other then that I think my next step will be to replace the starter :shrug:

 

[JohninMD]

Are your lights working with the new battery? Dome light, dummy indicators? Do they dim when you try to start it?

 

[Bowhuntr11]

Nope everything is stays bright...

 

[Robert Francis]

Make sure and check the battery cables going down to the starter - and the connection at the starter. Supposedly they often corrode and internally break.

 

[Bowhuntr11]

Make sure and check the battery cables going down to the starter - and the connection at the starter. Supposedly they often corrode and internally break.

Would that cause it to have noises when it was running idle though?

 

[uncooked]

Like i said it happened on my old 5.0, the starter was staying engaged and it was just chewing the gear on the starter. Check all the obvious stuff first, but you may have to pull the starter and have a look at it.

 

[Bowhuntr11]

Like i said it happened on my old 5.0, the starter was staying engaged and it was just chewing the gear on the starter. Check all the obvious stuff first, but you may have to pull the starter and have a look at it.

Thats what I am thinking it is, because it kinda sounded like that is where it was coming from...if thats it then I will be happy...as long as it isn't my engine.

 

[SVTL Joe Joe]

check out that starter! i know its not nearly the same car but my grand am starter would stay engaged and you couldnt hear it spinning except some clicks here and there and one day it just refused to start at work.....was the frozen starter AND it was cold out. id look into that and drygas

 

[RIDE THE]

Very common problem on the Navi's. Starter motor should take care of your troubles.

Have fun............ They are a bitch to get out.