badgerthehobo
Newbie
I’ve got a 1994 k2500 with a 5.7 TBI and 4L60e with a really aggravating no-crank problem.
I noticed last week I was having a hard time getting it to crank over. The starter just sounded like a sad old man trying to crank, like the battery was going bad. Got the battery tested, it had a good charge but the CCA was super low so I replaced it. Started right up like a brand new truck.
Then yesterday I parked the truck for about 10 minutes to unload and when I tried to start it, everything came on as normal (lights not dim, etc), but when I turned it to start I just got a click. Cussed and swore and went back in the house and started googling. Between answers on a Facebook post in a gmt400 group and a rudimentary understanding of starting systems, I figured it was probably the starter. I go back outside about 3 hours later and hit the key just to see what happens and it fired right up. So I was thinking maybe an intermittent open in the solenoid or something. I park the truck and go inside out of the rain.
I go buy a starter today, get it installed, and when I hit the key I got the same problem. Everything seems normal but when I turned to start I just hear a click from under the hood, like maybe the relay that disconnects power to the accessories for starting. No crank.
After more swearing and a mini hissy fit including jerking the steering wheel, I try the key again and it cranks over. So I take the truck for a spin around the block to recharge the battery a bit, park, and shut it off. Turn the key, click. Jerk with the wheel a little bit and turn the key again and it cranks right over.
SO I’m thinking I have a short in the steering column somewhere. How do I go about troubleshooting this? Or, can I just bypass the starter wire somehow under the dash and put in a push button? If so, how?
Or, could I somehow have an open in the battery wire to the starter? Because the only thing having me doubting the “short in the column” idea is the fact I still get a click when I turn to start. But that relay might be getting de-energized when you turn to start and I’m hearing the spring clicking the relay open. I’m throwing spaghetti at the wall right now.
Help, I need the truck for work on Monday.
S
I noticed last week I was having a hard time getting it to crank over. The starter just sounded like a sad old man trying to crank, like the battery was going bad. Got the battery tested, it had a good charge but the CCA was super low so I replaced it. Started right up like a brand new truck.
Then yesterday I parked the truck for about 10 minutes to unload and when I tried to start it, everything came on as normal (lights not dim, etc), but when I turned it to start I just got a click. Cussed and swore and went back in the house and started googling. Between answers on a Facebook post in a gmt400 group and a rudimentary understanding of starting systems, I figured it was probably the starter. I go back outside about 3 hours later and hit the key just to see what happens and it fired right up. So I was thinking maybe an intermittent open in the solenoid or something. I park the truck and go inside out of the rain.
I go buy a starter today, get it installed, and when I hit the key I got the same problem. Everything seems normal but when I turned to start I just hear a click from under the hood, like maybe the relay that disconnects power to the accessories for starting. No crank.
After more swearing and a mini hissy fit including jerking the steering wheel, I try the key again and it cranks over. So I take the truck for a spin around the block to recharge the battery a bit, park, and shut it off. Turn the key, click. Jerk with the wheel a little bit and turn the key again and it cranks right over.
SO I’m thinking I have a short in the steering column somewhere. How do I go about troubleshooting this? Or, can I just bypass the starter wire somehow under the dash and put in a push button? If so, how?
Or, could I somehow have an open in the battery wire to the starter? Because the only thing having me doubting the “short in the column” idea is the fact I still get a click when I turn to start. But that relay might be getting de-energized when you turn to start and I’m hearing the spring clicking the relay open. I’m throwing spaghetti at the wall right now.
Help, I need the truck for work on Monday.
S
