Sounds like it could be the starter or cables to it. Has it shown any signs of weak or strange cranking before this situation?

 

No signs prior

 

Because it does/ did crank, sounds like possible starter or electrical. Did you check all your fuses and relays. Try putting foot on brake and just barely turn the key..see if you can get it into neutral and try to start. Also did you replace with a new battery and did you have the old one tested to make sure it was bad? Could've toasted something with weak voltage trying to start.

 

Definitely electrical... yes I've put my foot on the brake, tried in neutral/park, have tapped on starter while turning key, smacked on steering column while turning key, new battery from O Reilly 800CCA, have not load tested batteries and have not looked into relays or fuses because I do not know which ones are part of the starting system

 

Try and measure the voltage at the starter solenoid when the key is just on, then turn the key to crank and see what the voltage does. If it goes to battery voltage everything from the key to the starter is good and the starter is bad. I like to use a device I made that is a small light bulb which will require the circuit to support a little current as well.

I've already had it where the voltage is fine but the circuit can't handle a load.

 

Try and measure the voltage at the starter solenoid when the key is just on, then turn the key to crank and see what the voltage does. If it goes to battery voltage everything from the key to the starter is good and the starter is bad. I like to use a device I made that is a small light bulb which will require the circuit to support a little current as well.

I've already had it where the voltage is fine but the circuit can't handle a load.

so I check voltage at solenoid (which I'm guessing attaches to starter itself near passenger side frame rail)?

0 volts with key on
12 volts with key on-start position

if it passes that test, then it is 100% the starter?

Any idea how I can check grounds using a voltmeter? Ignition switch? The relay in the fuse block?

 

Have you tryed the old tried and true method for checking starter. Screwdriver across the posts

 

Have you tryed the old tried and true method for checking starter. Screwdriver across the posts

Honestly, I don't know how you guys even get to this starter, it looks so jammed up there with no room. I'm afraid if I try that i'll hit some metal and shock the hell out of me...

plus it's currently 0 degrees :x making this job a pain if it happens to be the starter itself, hence trying to make sure It is 100% that becuasye it doesn't look like a fun job on 0 degree concrete

 

Yeah it's the small wire, I want to say its light blue, but don't quote me on that.

And on the ground they can be a pain. I usually lift it as high as I safely can if I don't havew a lift available.

My 01 did the same thing. Waited until the coldest day of the year then the starter said I'm done haha. It started just like normal the night before too.

 

See if this helps you. At least verify your fuses/relays before you tear anything apart

https://www.google.com/amp/www.autogeni ... agram/amp/

 

As far as I know, there is no capacitor, coil or anything like that on the starter, so there is little chance of jolting yourself. You might get sparks, but no jolt. Of you grab the positive and negative post on the battery, you wont get shocked.

One thing you can try is to have someone try turning the key to start and then rapping on the starter with something solid like a wrench or small hammer. Not real hard, just hard enough to loosen it up.

I had a bad starter on my 2004 blazer and the first time it did that it was the first really cold day. I had it towed to a shop. They said they jumped in and it started right up. So, I picked it up. A couple weeks later, it happened again and I had to have it towed again. I had the tow truck drop me off with the blazer and after he dropped it, I thought, what the heck, I jumped in and bang, it started right off. I called a guy I know and he told me to try rapping on the starter when someone had the key turned the next time it happened. A week later, it happened and the rapping thing got it going again. The process of the tow truck hooking up, towing and dropping it likely was freeing it up each time it was towed. Just as hitting it did. I replaced the started after that and never had another problem with it.

It might not solve your problem, but it won't cost anything to test it out. Just be careful in case it does work, because the truck will turn over and scare the hell out of you and make sure the truck is in park with brakes on and you don't have your hands or other body parts near any moving parts in case it turns over.

 

I suspect a bad starter like others have said. The click you hear is probably the solenoid engaging the starter pinion gear, but because the starter motor is most likely bad it's not cranking. If, with a volt meter, you didn't notice much of any voltage drop at the starter with the key on start then I'd bet you need a new one. Also as mentioned earlier, you can take a screwdriver with insulated handle and connect the s-terminal of the solenoid to the 12v feed from battery terminal of the solenoid. If it cranks, it's not the starter. Good luck.

 

Thanks guys, plan is to get it started tonight before the 12+" of snow falls tomorrow

Anyone replaced one on a 4.3 4x4 before?
Wondering what size ratchets/number of bolts/easiest way to remove it if it turns out to be the starter. ill post here when I get some results after work today

 

Just to double check you can also test the big wiring connector on the starter side of the solenoid. If the small wire as previously described is hot and this connection is not hot, it's the solenoid. If the small wire is hot and this connection is hot, it's the starter.

 

Thanks guys, plan is to get it started tonight before the 12+" of snow falls tomorrow

Anyone replaced one on a 4.3 4x4 before?
Wondering what size ratchets/number of bolts/easiest way to remove it if it turns out to be the starter. ill post here when I get some results after work today

Here is a video I found on YouTube by AutoZone. Gonna be honest, I didn't watch it, but I bet it'll point you in the right direction.

 

First time I can say slightly disappointed I didn't have to fix something, I went to the garage, turned key and it started right up. :lol:

Only conclusion I can make is it was 5 degrees out when this started happening and garage is 45...

Either way, it started up a few times I drove it around and then parked it outside, so i will see if it wants to start in the next couple days when it gets back to 5 degrees

While in garage I disconnected battery cables, sanded connections and WD-40'd them and got them much tighter. I WD-40'd all the grounds I could see and the starter itself in case I have to replace it shortly. It's a little frustrating because I can't diagnose if it was indeed the starter, cables, relays, ignition switch, NSS, or wiring

 

My money is still on the starter.

 

Agree with trax, they are finicky near the end of their life.

 

So you guys are thinking starter with the occasional no crank symtoms? I wonder if the cold does something to them like batteries...
truck is currently under 15" of snow so it may be a bit before I get to it. atleast I got to take it out in the blizzard for an hour before this happened.
are there simple tests I can run under the hood (im thinking fuse block) to rule out other components now that I am having the issue again? Gonna be impossible to check voltage at starter where the truck is rn

 

Could try checking the starter relay output to see if it's 12v when the key is cranking. If it's 12 v when key is cranking and nothing when on, then that leaves the wire down to the starter solenoid or the starter. But if it's currently working, then the tests likely wouldn't show anything.

I still say it's the starter. Does it look like an original starter?

 

My bet is its the original one, but cant be certain as I just got the truck in November. i'll try that test seeing it is currently not cranking. Would I pull the relay and check voltage below it in fuse block with relay removed? (I know there are 4 pins). And this would rule out IS/NSS?

 

Check the crank fuse for voltage when the key is in the start position. The voltage from there goes to the neutral safety switch and if it's in the correct position and functioning then power should be delivered to the starter relay. Check the starter relay, listen for it to click when the key is in the start position. If not, try swapping it with a known working and similar relay from another circuit. You can also check voltage on the terminals where the relay plugs in. One terminal input will always have voltage and the one next to it on the same side will have voltage while cranking. If not then your problem may lie with the n/s switch, its wiring or gear selector position. The other two terminal spots are grounded and you can check those with your volt meter by connecting it to a 12v lead and then probing the terminal spots. You may do a thorough scan around the entire engine and make sure all the grounds are secured down and making a good metal to metal connection.

It's probably the starter though, lol.

 

Your new best friend...

 

Check the crank fuse for voltage when the key is in the start position. The voltage from there goes to the neutral safety switch and if it's in the correct position and functioning then power should be delivered to the starter relay. Check the starter relay, listen for it to click when the key is in the start position. If not, try swapping it with a known working and similar relay from another circuit. You can also check voltage on the terminals where the relay plugs in. One terminal input will always have voltage and the one next to it on the same side will have voltage while cranking. If not then your problem may lie with the n/s switch, its wiring or gear selector position. The other two terminal spots are grounded and you can check those with your volt meter by connecting it to a 12v lead and then probing the terminal spots. You may do a thorough scan around the entire engine and make sure all the grounds are secured down and making a good metal to metal connection.

It's probably the starter though, lol.

Ahh i need one of those for this truck haha. Oreilly stocks starters for 150 bucks, that strikes me as expensive... if it turns out to be the starter. Great info, I have replaced unnecessary parts before and as I'm getting older I need to learn from my mistakes. Crank fuse is 10amp if i'm not mistaken? I pulled a few of them the other night. I will do these tests and see what I find. I know how to check voltage but what's the best way to check grounds with a voltmeter? Do I set it to OHM's and look for a reading near 0? My multi-meter has a connectivity function that buzzes but I've heard that is just a basic test and doesn't show how much resistance there is?

 

Make sure to test voltage at the fuse with a volt meter or test light and not just check that the fuse itself is good. To check those ground terminals of the relay socket you can set your meter to DC voltage, put the positive lead on the positive terminal of the battery and the negative lead to the ground terminals of the relay socket. If you get a 12v reading on your meter then the grounds are good.

It's probably your starter though, but we'll get to that after these tests and after a little sunshine to melt some snow.