The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Starter troubleshooting

The Green Farmer is driven very infrequently, and the current starter is pushing 25yrs and never missed a beat given a strong battery. I replaced the battery with a new one and all I get is a single click when I turn the key. Jumping with an additional running engine makes no difference and jumping from battery cable direct to the motor connection still gets nothing. Even a few loving taps with a hammer got no results. Is it just a simple dead starter? Given the above, what else could it be?

It’s a bone stock L250 with no accessories at all. Any other checks I can do before trying a replacement ?

You have a dirty or loose connection somewhere on the battery cable ends. That's my bet anyway. I do give you extra credit for trying to solve an electrical problem with a hammer. That is high end methodology reserved for only the upper echelon mechanics. I fix stubborn carburetors the same way.
Carl

Nope, cleaned them really well, in pretty good shape to start with, plus jumping from a good battery connected to a running engine directly to the cables should eliminate that.

And thanks for the compliments on choice of tools.

Try attempting to start with the high beam headlights turned on. If they go out, or get very dim when the starter switch is engaged, your "new" battery has a bad internal open circuit. If they stay bright or only dim slightly as the switch is turned to the start position, your problem is probably in the starter. By 1969, I believe there was also a safety switch that required the clutch pedal to be pushed in while starting. Does your truck have that? If so that switch could have gone bad.
Jerry

"jumping from battery cable direct to the motor connection still gets nothing." Can you be a little more specific on what that means?

Generally, you can short across terminals of the solenoid to bypass ignition switch. Jump across the positive stud on solenoid to the "S" terminal. If that makes solenoid kick in and starter turn, the problem is obviously up stream. Truck in neutral and Ebrake on. Key off. Maybe this is what you meant by the statement above.

The headlight test must also be performed as well as the solenoid jump.

Your problem can be just about anything:
1. Solenoid
2. Ignition switch
3. Wiring/cable connections
4. The starter
5. The battery

.

Following up - bought a new starter, bench tested both, old one dead as a door nail. Put the new one on, spun the motor about 1sec, then the same click. Took the new battery back to the parts house (I won’t explain why I thought maybe I killed it, that would make me look bad) and they tested it and said it was fine. Carefully cleaned all the contact points of every terminal and wire connection, cranked like crazy. Didn’t start, but it sure cranked. That led to the carburetor odyssey.

Check everything else before you dig into the carburetor (if you haven't already), such as spark at the spark plugs, timing, compression. They are all easier to do than working on the carburetor.
My favorite saying is, "Save working on the carburetor for last. The problem is never the carburetor." This statement rings true way too often to disregard.
Carl

Good advice, but in this case (after starter replacement) . . . . it was the carb. Did a rebuild kit and cleaned it all and (after a float malfunction ) it runs as well as ever.

This is why we don't trust posters This is why we have them do things again. Some listen, some don't. It's very hard to be gentle. Very hard to challenge their efforts. If we move past, or let them move past, the issue we think it is, we get nowhere fast.

SO.......... everyone keep that in mind when HRJ, me and others get frustrated. We all try very hard to analyze and troubleshoot from home, to help others without seeing, hearing, smelling, testing or feeling the problem. Most problems on Stovebolt get fixed one way or another. It's a special group.
Can I get an Amen.

Amen.

Well stated bartamos. I made a bet that it was dirty or loose cables. What do I win? A Pepsi and a hotdog sounds reasonable to me.
Carl

No Pepsi, Coke.

No Hotdog, Cheeseburger.

Now you've done it. Alvin "Chipmunk" will surely chime in now.

Amen

Green Farmer. it sure is nice when everything works out.