Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) 94 No Start

[bighammer]

My old plow truck won't start. I moved it into the garage about 2 weeks ago to work on the plow. It needed a jump (pretty typical for how long it sits sometimes and it only has 1 battery) but it started and ran fine. After rebuilding the plow pump, I couldn't get it to start at all. When I put the cables on it, they got very hot.

I thought it was the starter, so I removed it and and checked the contacts and plunger. Not too bad, but I cleaned them up and just for giggles had it bench tested on some machine at Auto Zone. It checked out fine. I put it back in the truck with new Larry B contacts and plunger, and still the same thing.

I guess I should check battery cables and connections, circuit resistance, ground, etc. Not having a meter handy at the moment, is there something else? Maybe something obvious that I've managed to not have to deal with yet?

 

[fest3er]

Pete, disconnect both battery terminals from the battery, connect the jumpers to the battery and see if things still get hot. If so, your battery likely has an internal short. If not, jumper to the battery posts. If things warm up, you'll be getting warmer, so-to-speak. Then pull the alternator fuse (140A in the PDC, if it has one). If that makes the over-current go away, the alternator could have an internal short.

If you had jumper cables with 500A clamps and 1 ga. welding wire, the battery might start smoking before the cables warm up.

Of course, in all your futzing around with the truck, you could find a heavy wire shorted through an abraded hole in the insulation.

N

 

[bighammer]

Hey Neil, thanks for the reply.

I should add a few more details: I thought the battery was bad-- About 6 or 7 years, so I bought a new one. Same results.

I had trouble with my cables last year (maybe same problem?) so I decided to spring for the very heavy duty type. Kind of pricy, but good length, very heavy but flexible cable, and a screw terminal connection on the ends.

In short, (bad pun :-laf) I don't think it's the battery or jumper cables. I also pushed the truck out and removed the plow and pushed it back in the garage. Not having the plow removes some electrical possibilities and makes it easier to work on. (getting our first snowstorm though and I'd like to be able to use it )

 

[EKlem]

Is the truck actually cranking or not? If you crank for a really long time, the cables will get warm but shouldn't get hot. If the truck is cranking but not starting, then you might have one set of problems but if it won't even crank, then it is probably electrical or in the starter motor.

 

[bighammer]

It cranks over maybe 1/2 or 1 turn.

It's supposed to warm up slightly and I'll push it back into the garage (handy to have a tractor w/loader When I pushed it out and into the yard, it almost took off down our back hill ) and check out the cables. I found the starter troubleshooting section of the manual and I'll run thru those procedures.

Wife says it's old and doesn't owe me anything. I can't admit defeat just yet.

 

[abranz]

Today I had a similar problem with my 96 not starting. I put the plow on last week so I thought it had something to do with it but after eliminating it I found it was the diode I put on the starter trigger wire when I replaced the contacts last year. Not sure if you installed the diode from larry B's but if you did try removing it.

Tony

 

[Grumpy John 4x4]

If you use jumper cables you have to jump with two battries, found that out!

 

[bighammer]

I haven't gotten a chance to look at it much between weather, sickness, and just other priorities. I did check the battery and it was 12 volts, but as soon as I connect the battery cable on the terminal, it drops 4, 3, 2, 1, nuttin'. I've got a short someplace.

Any guesses on a good place to start looking? Any common items that fry and short out? The little relays (for heater grids?) below the left battery make a sort of buzzing noise when I switch on the key.

My trailer plug was ugly and hanging loose, so I got rid of that and the associated wiring. It might be the rodents that have inhabited the truck that may have eaten some insulation someplace too. And so it still sits..... (very glad I bought a new tractor as a backup )

 

[fest3er]

Actions leading to clues. Disconnect battery positive terminals and:

Disconnect the heater relay main leads and check resistance between between the battery + cable and the heater contacts on the manifold; near zero Ohms indicates a stuck relay. See my website (murent. us) for aftermarket replacement relays. )

Pull the relays and fuses from the PDC (including the 140A alternator relay); that should remove most of the 'usual suspects'. Reconnect one at a time until you see one that 'sparks'.

Report results; we'll go from there.