Urgent help, truck has no power at ignition

[HotWheelsBurban]

Hi all, hoping for some answers here. 1997 C3500 CCLB,5.7 etc. We're going to leave a store, to go get lunch and go on to the next store, and the truck makes one click when the key is turned to Start, and then nothing. No power even to put window up(and it's starting to rain cause a front is coming in today). Road service has been called but they can't seem to figure out when they will come....
Should I just go in the Walmart and buy a battery, or what? I don't think a bad starter would kill everything....
Thanks in advance!

 

[umwtnt]

Check all your connections on the battery first, it's amazing how often a terminal is loose and will cause these problems.

 

[Pinger]

Have you given the battery and ground leads in the engine bay a wiggle?

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

All cables are tight. It won't even make the underhood light come on.

 

[Pinger]

It's kind of rough to do, but dare you short across (just brushing) the battery terminal to see what's there? Either a fat spark and a damaged circuit or a tickle dimmer than the non-illuminating underhood light indicating a shot (or merely flat) battery.

 

[kennythewelder]

Check your fusible link. It may be fried. That is the wire between the alt, and battery. You may have battery issues, and you may have alt issues, and you may have both. I agree with @Pinger, it sounds like a shorted out wire. Also check your voltage, across the battery. Should be around 12 to 14 bolts.

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

Every time that has happened to me it's been corrosion on the battery terminals.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

It's kind of rough to do, but dare you short across (just brushing) the battery terminal to see what's there? Either a fat spark and a damaged circuit or a tickle dimmer than the non-illuminating underhood light indicating a shot (or merely flat) battery.

The positive cables are the stacked ones, and it felt tight. Then the road service guy came and put his jump box and the cable ends moved. So we retightened them and it started up fine (once the magic button was pushed!).

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

We had this issue with the Burb, and maybe the other 99 Burb too. What Dad did is trim some of the vinyl off the terminals so they'll stack better, and put a stainless steel bolt and a jam nut on it. Also on the negative cable. I guess I need to do this on this truck too....to quote Popeye,"this is embarrassking"

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Thanks again guys for the quick responses!