truck not starting, out of ideas grumble grumble

[renOnv]

Quick background: bought the truck a few weeks ago, seemed to run decent, albeit it idled high and needed work. once in th parking lot of 7-11 it wouldn't turn over, the key would just click and sit there. after 30 min of waiting for a ride, i tried one last time it fired up and i drove away no problems. a week ago i put in a new CD player and subwoofer (pics coming when my truck starts running) The night i get my stero i park my truck and when i go outside to show it off to some friends she won't run.

 

Now here is what the truck is doing: When i turn the key, all lights/radio turn on, however i hear a buzzing/humming noise from the engine. nothing cranking, nothing clicking.

 

Here is what i've done so far: Replaced the battery cables, both possitive and negative and cleaned off the connections at both ends. Bought a new battery and installed it, re-wroked the ground behind drivers side tail light. Removd the master craft soilenoid (in the engine compartment by the battery) I didnt get it tested, because I'm not sure if its actually the soilenoid or just a relay or what. but i cleaned it, cleaned all wires running to it, and covered in di-electric grease.

 

Here is what came closest to working: i dropped the starter, and it was filthy. i scrubbed off all the oil/grease/grit with a steel brush and took it into the local auto parts store to have it tested. The man working there said it passed but that it was the original starter, and even though it passed it might be a good ida to replace it. However he agreed with me that it sounded like an issue with the connections (based on the humming sound) so i bought a can of electric system cleaner and sprayed down the starter, scrubbed more, coated in di-electric grease and re-installed under my truck. It started perfectly! I drove it around town for a little while, vacuumed it out, then parked it. THE NEXT DAY IT WOULDN'T START. SAME PROBLEM. I turn the key and all i hear is a buzzing noise. I've recharged the battery, and am at a complete loss as to what it could be or what i should do. I'm hoping its not a bad fuse or burnt wire somewhere because i am terrible with electric systems.

 

let me know what you think, or maybe there is a common problem i haven't read about. if you guys have any questions or need pictures let me know. I'm trying to get my truck running by tomorrow as i was supposed to help a friend who drives a car pick up a new TV... ive gotta pull through for the honor of all truck owners on this one. I'd hate to have him preach to me about how i should have spent my money on a "reliable car"

[Geonovast]

I'd check the wiring on the ignition switch.

[renOnv]

Ooops, i forgot to mention that i did open up the dash panels in the cab to take a look at that wiring. I was hoping it would be something obvious ("well hello there, the stereo installer unplugged my ignition switch") but once i got inside i didn't have the foggiest of what i was looking for. I will say that all wires were connected to something... and nothing blatantly obvious was going on like melted wires or anything.

 

Is there something in particular I should be looking for? Or would that be a good part to replace, any ideas on how much I would pay for a new ignition switch?

 

Thanks for the quick reply

[jeepcoma]

When you had the starter tested, did you drive it there and remove the starter and bring it in, or did you carry it in cold? Heat soaking into a starter could be the culprit, it might test fine at normal temperatures (like when you first start up and it works just fine) but once it starts to cook up they take more current to turn over. At least, that's what happened to me once.

[renOnv]

i pulled the starter out and drove it in another car. it sounds like i have the opposite problem from wht you experenced, asonce it does start i can stop my truck to go into gas stations, stores ect, then it fires up fine after a few min of sitting. but if it sits for a while I'm out of luck. i might just have to start buying new parts ie. starter and ignition switch untill it starts working again.. :wall:

[maddzz1]

I would check the CPS.

[comanche87]

:agree:

[renOnv]

thanks for the advice everyone. ill be sure to check the cps tomorrow. as for good news... i was hoping it wouldn't come down to this, but i knocked the starter around with a wrench, and yup... it started, then i just re-parked it on a hill so i can roll/push start her tomorrow. a little more ghetto than i would have preferred but oh well, ill checkout the CPS and probably buy a new starter tomorrow. then I'm going to turn the stereo up real loud and drive over something big so i can remind myself why i bought a 19 year old truck in the first place. thanks for all the help, and bearing with a novice wrencher :cheers: i promise a build thread with some worthy pics will find there way on this forum in the near future.

[Wildman]

If you knock the starter, and it cranked over, don't even mess with the CPS, and just replace the starter, it's shot, and locking up, as someone else wrote, it's "heat warped" and like you said, it's the original starter........(19 years old, caked up) even though it passed the bench test, that don't check for when the starter is overheated and locked up.

[maddzz1]

If you knock the starter, and it cranked over, don't even mess with the CPS, and just replace the starter, it's shot, and locking up, as someone else wrote, it's "heat warped" and like you said, it's the original starter........(19 years old, caked up) even though it passed the bench test, that don't check for when the starter is overheated and locked up.

 

:agree: I would definately start with the starter first then. It sounds like you have found the problem.