truck issue

plio7

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alright guys, my truck is having some electrical issues, put a new battery in monday, all has been well untill yesterday, truck sat over night, started with no issues saturday morn. then 3-4 hours later barely started, then this morn had to boost it, pulled all of the cables off, recleaned all the conections just in case, put everything back on, truck still running no issues with negative disconected.

any ideas
 

overkill131313

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what year? chevy? if you change the battery or removed a cable with it running it could have blown a diode......which kills 2/3 of its power.......there is no rule to this...... but it could do it the first time you remove a cable, or it could do it if you pull a cable off 10 times......so my rule is never pull a cable off well engine is running or it could cost you a rebuilt on an alternator! just my 2 cents!!!!
 

plio7

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what year? chevy? if you change the battery or removed a cable with it running it could have blown a diode......which kills 2/3 of its power.......there is no rule to this...... but it could do it the first time you remove a cable, or it could do it if you pull a cable off 10 times......so my rule is never pull a cable off well engine is running or it could cost you a rebuilt on an alternator! just my 2 cents!!!!

its a titan, and i was told to pull it off to check that the alternator is working....like i said truck is running fine but the battery doesnt want to seem to start the truck, and this issue was before the cable ever came off
 

PS94

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Shut the truck off. Pull off one of the battery cables...Hook up a test light across the post, and terminal..If the light illuminates bright for longer than ohh, a second or so? you have a draw...leave this connected and pull fuses, or even the alternator leads until you find it...
 

Murminator

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its a titan, and i was told to pull it off to check that the alternator is working....like i said truck is running fine but the battery doesnt want to seem to start the truck, and this issue was before the cable ever came off


Sound like the alt is toast and everything it just running off the battery

Start the truck take a mulitmeter or voltmeter and touch the cable ends on the battery should be between 13-14.5 volts. On most with the truck running you should be able to disconnect the negative cable and it will run off the alt if it stalls it was running off the battery and the alt is not putting out enough volts to keep it running. I'm unsure if it will work on a titan or not. I had to replace my alt last month but I noticed at the stop light with the light and heater motor on my alt gauge was dipping low rev it up a bit it would climb. Took alt off went to partsource they test for free failed horribly then went to NAPA bought a new and replaced it.
 

kbrunlees

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Sound like the alt is toast and everything it just running off the battery

Start the truck take a mulitmeter or voltmeter and touch the cable ends on the battery should be between 13-14.5 volts. On most with the truck running you should be able to disconnect the negative cable and it will run off the alt if it stalls it was running off the battery and the alt is not putting out enough volts to keep it running. I'm unsure if it will work on a titan or not. I had to replace my alt last month but I noticed at the stop light with the light and heater motor on my alt gauge was dipping low rev it up a bit it would climb. Took alt off went to partsource they test for free failed horribly then went to NAPA bought a new and replaced it.

Had the same problem with my 03 ford van the first indicator I had was the battery light came on on heavy acceleration then one morning the battery quit. boosted it ran was ok but I did the volt test and found the alternator was pooched replaced it, then the battery went poof, not the first time I have been screwed by both. I have a battery alternator testor now from Princess Auto 40 bucks works well for the money.
 

plio7

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but if my alternator was pooched and i disconnected the battery would the truck run?.....the gauge in the truck is reading fine when the truck is running. now after a day of f'in around the truck starts but sounds like its struggling. i think there is a short or an issue between the battery and the starter.

i will have the alt. tested this week and see if all is well with it but its different then anything i have run into. its almost hit and miss if it wants to start or not....pulled into boggers place, shut it off, it didn't start first try, and then second try fired right up?

thinking it might be something that need a professional
 

polarice

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but if my alternator was pooched and i disconnected the battery would the truck run?.....the gauge in the truck is reading fine when the truck is running. now after a day of f'in around the truck starts but sounds like its struggling. i think there is a short or an issue between the battery and the starter.

i will have the alt. tested this week and see if all is well with it but its different then anything i have run into. its almost hit and miss if it wants to start or not....pulled into boggers place, shut it off, it didn't start first try, and then second try fired right up?

thinking it might be something that need a professional

possible starter issues next time it happens grab a hammer go underneath tap the starter while you have someone trying to start it
 

heavy d

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Just throwin this out there Plio. Had a starter go bad on a 88 chev a few yrs ago....was doing near the same thing. It seemed to be that if the starter quit spinning and stopped in a certain position it would really drag....like the battery was dead. I changed batteries, thinking that I'd lost a cell or two, worked for about a week....then, same thing. Then went to the alternator, it tested good, battery was good. Pulled the starter, on bench test it spun excellent ten out of ten times, number 11, 12, 13 total drag.....red hot test cables the whole deal. New starter, no problems.

Don't know if this helps, or just wastes your time.....
 

CATPRIDE

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possible starter issues next time it happens grab a hammer go underneath tap the starter while you have someone trying to start it

DO NOT hit the starter with a hammer.........these new starters now a days have magnets and if hit with hammer they will CRACK the magnets and you will not go anywhere. Hitting a starter with a hammer that has field coils is fine but not a PMGR. FYI
 

polarice

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DO NOT hit the starter with a hammer.........these new starters now a days have magnets and if hit with hammer they will CRACK the magnets and you will not go anywhere. Hitting a starter with a hammer that has field coils is fine but not a PMGR. FYI

worked on the old stuff
thanks for the update
 

heavy d

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DO NOT hit the starter with a hammer.........these new starters now a days have magnets and if hit with hammer they will CRACK the magnets and you will not go anywhere. Hitting a starter with a hammer that has field coils is fine but not a PMGR. FYI

x2....don't do it !!!!!!!!!
 

Puba

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Sorry to hear Chris, sell it a buy beer........... I'll give you a 6 pack of Brewhouse :d:beer:
 

NIDAHOBOONDOCKER

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I sure wish this was easy to explain, but it isn't. Remember Power/Path/Load.

Every electrical system has two power sources. One is the Battery, used for starting and the other is the Alternator used for operation. This is where the idea comes from that if you unhook the Neg battery cable while the car is running it should stay running because the Alternator is the power source. I wouldn't recommend doing this on any newer car.

First, if you don't have a DVOM (voltmeter) go borrow one.

Check for a parasitic draw first. You can use a test light as outlined above by disconnecting the Neg cable and hooking the light up between the cable and post. Should be a lightly dimmed bulb (ecm and radio will always have a slight load) If its bright, leave it hooked up and pull fuses to see what is causing the excessive draw. This can be something as easy as a radio or more significant like a solenoid/relay stuck. Essentially this would be your problem, battery is being drained below 12.6....at 10.1 good luck getting it started.

Lets say there is little to no Draw. Take your Voltmeter and hook it up to the battery. Should have 12.6 volts Key On Engine Off. If it doesn't then charge the battery and go to the next step.

Start the car: Check alternator output, should be between 13.3v and 14.5v at the battery. Is it?

Lets say it is at 14.3v but when you started it the starter really struggled.

Lets test the cables first before we replace the starter. Remember the power source is the battery. Disconnect the fuel pump relay or main power source (so it will crank but won't start)

Connect the + lead of your Voltmeter to the positive post of your battery. Connect the Negative lead to the other end of the cable at the starter, now crank it over. Should be no more than .3 volt drop, if it is any more than that you have a bad connection in that cable somewhere, think dirty connection at the battery or starter or corrosion in the battery cable end.

Lets now test the Negative in the same manner. Negative lead of the VM to the cable end at the battery, positive lead will now go on the block. Crank it over, should not be more than .2 volt drop. If it is any more than that you have a bad connection in that cable (think loose bolt at the block, corrosion in the cable end etc).

Both test o.k. my thought is its the starter......but to be sure hook your VM up to the battery again and crank it over (still in will crank but won't start condition). Shouldn't go below 9.6, if it does then its drawing too much on the battery. To prove how many amps the starter is pulling you would have to have an amp meter....but lets leave that alone for now.

Most parts houses will let you borrow a DVOM.

3 possibilities: It has a draw on the battery, It has a bad connection in the + or - cable or the starter is simply struggling to start it and needs replaced.
 

Caper11

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Pilo Do you have a aftermarket car starter/ alarm system installed?. I had the same problem on a 04 dodge after I had one installed, tried a new battery new altenator still the same, batt almost dead after 3-4 days of sitting.
It's possible that the new battery is faulty, is it the same CCA rating?

I re-read what you originally posted I'd get a voltmeter and check to see what the alternator output voltage is than go from there. If the battery voltage drops to around 7 volts the computer will shutdown and trucky no runny.
 
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