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| | | | Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 14 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 14 | I have a 1953 Chevy Truck with a 216 6v system. I hadn't started my truck in several months. I put the battery on the charger. When it was 50% charged and still on the charger it started right up. I drove it around the block, parked it and turned it off. I came out the next day and turned the key and nothing happened. I figured the battery was dead again. I put the battery on the charger and left it over night. I came out this morning, the battery was 75% charged, and tried to start it and nothing. I just had the starter rebuilt and put in a new solenoid this last fall. I am trying to figure out what to try next. I am guessing either a loose wire or the ignition went out? How do I go through a process methodically to figure out what is wrong?
I don't know much about mechanics so please explain it to me like I am a 5 grader. thanks in advance. | | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 7,441 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 7,441 | Clean every battery cable to bare metal at both ends. Ground and Positive need to be heavy cable and to good clean metal, especially on a 6 volt system.
Martin
'62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress)
'47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project)
‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily)
‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence)
“I fought the law and the law won" now I are a retired one!
Support those brave men/women who stand the "Thin Blue Line"! Hug a cop!
USAF 1965-1969 Weather Observation Tech (I got paid to look at the clouds)
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2022 Posts: 2,500 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2022 Posts: 2,500 | If it has a solenoid it isn't stock. What modifications were made to the starting system which originally had a stomp starter?
Turn on the headlights. Did they come on? If so, try to start the truck with the headlights on. Did they stay bright with the key in the start position? Go dim, but stay on? Go all the way off?
Last edited by Bill Hanlon; 07/05/2022 10:53 PM. Reason: spelling
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12
'52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
| | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | Forget the per cent readings on the charger, Get a multimeter for $20 and measure the voltage of the battery, or take battery to Oreillys or Autozone and have it tested. Try to get it close to full charge before you go. It's probably a bad battery or a bad charger.
Please don't use words like "nothing". Use "will not turn over" "not even clicking" "starter turns but won't start"......that type of specific verbage is useful.
The headlight test is always a great test to do in your case. Can be corroded or loose cables, all as Martin and Bill say.
Overnight charge and still 75% seems a red flag against the battery. But measuring it's voltage and a load test is best. If it shows 6.4V it can still have a bad cell and break down under the starters mega amp load.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 7,441 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 7,441 |
Martin
'62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress)
'47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project)
‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily)
‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence)
“I fought the law and the law won" now I are a retired one!
Support those brave men/women who stand the "Thin Blue Line"! Hug a cop!
USAF 1965-1969 Weather Observation Tech (I got paid to look at the clouds)
| | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 |
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2020 Posts: 789 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2020 Posts: 789 | If not bad battery, I would look for bad ground.
First thing I would check is the integrity of the connection of the ground cable on the battery.
As stated, get the battery tested so you can eliminate that major source of problems. | | |
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