truck help, troubleshooting..

[Neil09]

Picked up a little isuzu pickup last night, guy said every once in a while it would click before it would start. He said it only did it a couple times. Well this morning, it would start to turn over then stop, like it would start to turn over but would quit, almost like a dead battery. Then after a couple it times it would just click one time. Get home from work, it would click then after a couple times it started after struggling. To see if it was the battery, I took one out of my other cars and it didn't change, it started once but started to click again. So I put other battery back in, and now it just clicks once, and doesnt try to start no matter how many times I try. It got dark, so tomorrow im off I will mess with it a little. Just what are a couple things to check? I will clean off the ground wire to chekc that, just would like a couple other suggestions. Thanks, neil

 

[Guate_shooter]

if it "clicks" sounds like the starter is bad, you can tap it with a wrench and should get you started right away but wont last forever, also check and make sure your alternator is good to go.

 

[kajuntriton]

Try the SIMPLE things FIRST! Check the battery terminal connections at the battery, starter and ground!!
Sounds like a poor connection!

 

[iamdat]

Try the SIMPLE things FIRST! Check the battery terminal connections at the battery, starter and ground!!
Sounds like a poor connection!

BOOM!

 

[Neil09]

Bad connection is the first thing I will try, because I hooked up jumper cables to it, and when one vehicle was hooked up, I would hook up the other positive and tap the negative on the post and it would hardly barelllyyyyy spark.

 

[Jimmy Dean]

It could be a dying battery. Cold starts are not always easy on the battery either (they do not provide as many amps in the cold weather)

 

[Neil09]

And the tapping the starter, I tried but the position I was at I could only tap is so hard. (again it was dark so I didn't have a chance to jack it up and get under there, there is only so much room under that little thing). So not sure if I tapped it enought to make a difference, if that is the case.

 

[JBE]

Check your ground

 

[tbone]

Don't get under a jacked up vehicle without a jack stand.

 

[Neil09]

Don't get under a jacked up vehicle without a jack stand.

I usually get a couple spare wheels I have in my shed and stack them up under. I feel a jack stand would fall over for some reason.

 

[Ton]

From your description, it sounds like a dead battery or maybe a bad starter starting to seize up. No big deal.

 

[Neil09]

well I tried a different battery, same thing. If I pull the starter off tomorrow, is there a way to test it, or just buy a new one and hope it solves the problem?

 

[SpeedRacer]

How do the battery terminals look? Still sounds like it could be a loose connection.

You could always bench test the starter, instructions here: http://www.misterfixit.com/starttst.htm

Highly recommend you follow the suggestion to put the starter in a vice. They can definitely try to run away on you.

 

[gonepecan]

My Corolla did this same thing to me once. It was actually the copper contacts and plunger inside that were corroded. I changed those and problem solved. I don't know if an Isuzu starter has a similar design though.

 

[drumz2129]

Bad connection is the first thing I will try, because I hooked up jumper cables to it, and when one vehicle was hooked up, I would hook up the other positive and tap the negative on the post and it would hardly barelllyyyyy spark.

Usually this means that your battery is fully charged. If your battery was low, there would be a violent spark from the current arcing to the post before contact. With a fully charged battery there is little to no current flow when connecting to another good battery.

Like others have said, start with the simple things first. Check both of your battery terminals, make sure they are clean and tight. Then check your ground cable all the way to the engine or frame. Also check your starter wire from the battery to the starter. If everything is tight then it is most likely your solenoid contacts or the brushes in your starter. You could try to clean the contacts and/or change the brushes your self. A alternator/generator shop is where to find those parts. The other option is to replace it with a re-manufactured unit from the parts house with a warranty.

 

[littlebob]

If you can jump across the large terminals on a solenoid and get it to start, then its the problem. Does it have the original battery cable
connectors? Those cut it off and clamp it in ones are only a temporary
fix.

 

[tim9lives]

Capt Crunch-My Corolla did this same thing to me once. It was actually the copper contacts and plunger inside that were corroded. I changed those and problem solved. I don't know if an Isuzu starter has a similar design though.
---------
Capt Crunch is probably correct,,,,what you describe is very common on Jap style starter solenoids. Inside the solenoid are the opposite ends of those 2 bolts sticking out of the solenoid which have the positive cable connected to one, and the other bolt is connected to the short cable going to the starter motor.
So when the solenoid engauges,,a copper disc on that plunger is moved into making contact with these 2 contacts of the "bolts"
What happens over time is that the plunger/disc wears out the contacts inside the solenoid switch. The clicking you hear is the solenoid engauging but because the contacts are worn you end up with a circuit still open.
Sometimes you can remove the starter,,,remove the solenoid,,,and take those bolts/contacts out,,,try to sand down those contacts making both of them even,,,or you can try to locate new ones. They are not that expensive,,,but hard to find. And I have found that many of the new solenoids you find at auto parts stores are crap. You are better if you can try and save your old solenoid and just clean or replace those contacts/bolts.
Good luck

 

[gonepecan]

Capt Crunch

Vision One
701 Poydras St # 117, New Orleans, LA 70139-7717
(504) 561-8416 ‎

You're welcome.

 

[tim9lives]

One more thing,,,an easy way to check the battery connections for most older vehicles without all the fancy electronic computer controls such as delayed dome lamp,,ect
Open the door,,,and look at the interior / dome lamp. It should shine bright. Now,,while leaving the door open and watching the dome/interior lamp,,,,crank the engine. If there is a bad battery or something such as corroded cables/ battery terminals,,,,the dome lamp will go out. It will stop shining.
If the battery is good,,terminals clean and the circuit good from battery to starter,,ect,,,the lamp should bulb will continue to burn bright while cranking or trying to crank / start the vehicle
Granted,,,the above is not the best way to check things,,,the best way is to have meters and such,,,,but the above is a quick way to tell you whether or not you are dealing with a battery or dirty terminals. Again,,,,dirty or bad battery,,,the bulb goes dead when you crank. It's always best to try and do this test kind of fast,,,don't open the door and wait 10 minuets before you crank while watching your dome lamp bulb.

 

[Neil09]

I looked for the solenoid and the little posts to try out, and didn't see them. So I tried to get the starter out. One bolt was a bitch to get to and after throwing many, many, wrenches, and after many, many, bad words, I just gave up on pulling out the starter. Decided for shits and giggles turn the key see what it would do after picking up tools and what not, and not its turning over, but not starting. It clicks some time but it does try to turn over and doesnt start. I will mess with it again this afternoon, right now, I have an m&p9 awaiting to be picked up