Truck won't start...

[Jakob]

To start off, here's the details on my truck. It's a 1968 non-turbo troop truck with winch. I've never had a problem with it starting, no matter how long it sat previously. It'd sit up to two months at a time and always fired up. The clutch and rear main went out, so I took it apart to repair it. It sat disassembled for about 4-6 months I'd guess. The more I got into it, the more I had to order and replace.

Anyhow, I get everything back together and the truck won't start. The buzzer comes on when I turn the power on, but it does nothing when The batteries were my first guess, so I took them out and had them charged. Re-installed them and I got the same problem. Now, I'm just not sure where I should go next. The starter switch seems to be working, but is there a way I can check it?

Is the starter solenoid on the starter, or is it remote mounted like on the old Fords? I have a good working knowledge of mechanics in general, I'm just not too sure about where to go next with this truck.

 

[Speddmon]

The solenoid is on the starter I believe.

If it were me, I would rig up a test light to the lead coming into the starter solenoid (wire #214) and ground the other end of the light. When you hit the starter button, if the test light comes on, then you know your starter button, and starter relay are both passing power to the starter solenoid.

If the light comes on, then it's time to check into the starter solenoid and the starter. If you have a nice quiet place to work on it, you can reach under the dash and pull the wire from your low air buzzer so you have it quiet, and hit the starter button, if the solenoid is working you should be able to hear it closing with a thud of some sort.

TM 9-2320-361-24-1, page 0012 00-6 (work package 12, page 6) starts the detailed troubleshooting of the starter system if it will not crank.

You can follow the TM, or my way eliminates several points right off the bat. These are just suggestions for a starting point, but if it has sat that long I would be checking the grounds on the solenoid and starter first off.

 

[JDToumanian]

The solenoid is on the starter but the starting relay is on the block under the exhaust manifold above the starter. My truck occasionally does this after sitting for a long time, where the relay will click but the solenoid on the starter does not engage...... Repeatedly pushing the start button has always "unstuck" it.

Jon

 

[Jakob]

That's a great start, I'll rig that up tomorrow and have the wife come out and hit the button while I check.

 

[2Deuces wild]

Also check the ground cable. A faulty ground will cause a no workie starter too

 

[papabear]

I vote ground as well...does the charge gage drop when ya hit the start button?

 

[cranetruck]

Check your ground straps from battery to frame and frame to engine....may have been loosened up during major rework...

 

[roger-wilco-66]

Be careful when fumbling around with wrenches or other conductive things around the starter / selenoid hooked hot to a battery... I once had a hair-raising (literally) experience with that...


Cheers,
Mark

 

[bigmike]

Be careful when fumbling around with wrenches or other conductive things around the starter / selenoid hooked hot to a battery... I once had a hair-raising (literally) experience with that...


Cheers,
Mark

Ditto except I did a bit of arc welding

 

[Jakob]

Ditto except I did a bit of arc welding

I already did that taking a terminal loose on the battery I fumbled the wrench while loosening and it conveniently landed on the terminal and a piece of the chassis. This is my morning starting post, I'm going to get started today. If some tips from you guys don't help me, I'll break out the TM and start down the list there.

 

[atilathehun]

if you have a solargizer unhook that too dont ask how i know or cover the panel with somthing i am going with a ground strap look at the simple stuff first the farm tractors do it now and then no big deal clean cabels and you are ready to go

 

[AMGeneral]

Since you had the transmission out,you did remember to reconnect the ground strap from the frame to the trans bell housing right?It's on the RH side at about the 5 O clock position.

 

[Speddmon]

good luck, keep us posted!!

 

[Jakob]

Since you had the transmission out,you did remember to reconnect the ground strap from the frame to the trans bell housing right?It's on the RH side at about the 5 O clock position.

Yes, that is connected. I didn't get a chance to work on it. After I got my pre-work errands (honey-do's for the day) done, it started raining.

 

[Mark2X2]

Quote:
Anyhow, I get everything back together and the truck won't start. The buzzer comes on when I turn the power on, but it does nothing when The batteries were my first guess, so I took them out and had them charged. Re-installed them and I got the same problem. Now, I'm just not sure where I should go next. The starter switch seems to be working, but is there a way I can check it?

Jakob,
I would re-check the batteries just to make sure. Check the volts, should be over 12.5 per battery minimum. Have them load tested with a modern commercial tester. Or just jump it to make sure it's not the batteries. Been there done that.

Mark
M35A2 Deuce
M105A2 Trailer
M101A1 Trailer
3) Rokons[/quote]

 

[Jakob]

Batteries were load tested, both are very good.

Went over the connections, everything is clean and snug.

I couldn't run a test light on the solenoid, I don't have another set of hands/eyes right now.

When I hit the button, I have absolutely no voltage drop at all.

I have to run the test light on the solenoid to see if the power is even making it that far. I'll have to try and get that done this weekend when I can have someone come over and help out.