Starter

[ironhorsethegeneral]

My wife and I were out the other day getting fuel for the truck and when we tried to start the truck all we heard was a click about 3 times and then it started up. Could this be a problem with the starter or relay? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Sundance]

Sounds more like starter solenoid.

 

[Westech]

Relay.. mine did the same thing. I never did replace it.. just sold the truck.

 

[HAWKMAN]

Is the relay(to be replaced) the one on the starter or the one I see on the side of the block?

 

[stumps]

Before you condemn the relay, check the connections at the battery terminals, the battery ground, and the engine ground.

Quite often when any of those connections becomes marginal, the current necessary to start the truck won't be there until it arcs a bit, and then it will start like normal... as the connections cool again, the problem will reappear... until it gets so bad that the truck won't even click.

-Chuck

 

[cranetruck]

I agree with stumps and will add that the starter relay does not have any spark (inductive "kick") suppression and sooner or later the contacts on starter switch will go bad due to arcing.
To prevent this, install a diode per diagram below.

 

[Barrman]

Another possible cause is the "ON/OFF" switch wasn't all the way on. I have been in several trucks that the switch was worn enough to look on, but wasn't. All in all though, I would go with the solenoid. Just wanted to bring up a simple cheap could be cause.