Starter system issue

[BentGear]

My truck sat idle for about 3 weeks while we were out of town.  When we came back the vehicle would not start.  My son used a jumper pack to start it and it ran, but did not run it long enough to charge the battery.  A couple of days later tried to start again and it was dead.  Tried the jumper pack again and it started for a second then died.  Now the starter does not turn at all.

 

I put the battery on a tender then let it sit for a few days.  I took it to Autozone and they tested it and it tested good.

I pulled the starter off the truck and bench tested it and it worked fine.

So it seems the signal is not getting to the starter motor.

When I turn the key on, I hear a clicking which makes me think the relay is working, but could it be a different relay?

 

I am a novice at car repair but not afraid to watch a video and try stuff, I want to learn more but its kinda hard when you don't have someone to teach you.  Right now I am struggling to know what to check next.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  

[89 MJ]

Double check all of your connections at the battery and at the starter. Make sure that you clean both ends of your battery cables, including the little one that goes to the starter. 

 

From my understanding (which is probably wrong, I have never used a battery tender), a battery tender is only used to maintain voltage or do minimal charging. Put the battery on a real battery charger and then try it again. To me, it sounds like there are problems with either the battery or the connections. 

 

The battery dying after three weeks is also a little bit suspicious. That shouldn't happen. This points to there either being a draw somewhere or the battery going bad. But one thing at a time, lets try to get the truck running first. 

 

Out of curiosity, how old is the battery?

[BentGear]

I did check that the primary cable is delivering full voltage to the starter.  I also tried jumping the truck with another vehicle, no go.  The battery tender is a battery charger by CTEK, so it does more than just tending.  The battery reads 12.75 V by my voltage reader.  The battery is 3 years old, just out of warrenty, but I really don't think its the battery.  I used the battery to bench test the starter and it worked fine.  Its like the start signal is not going to the starter.

Could the starter pack have fried something in the wiring?

 

[89 MJ]

It is entirely possible that the wiring is bad, but I find it unlikely. There is probably a spot of corrosion somewhere on the ends of one of the wires preventing the starter for engaging. Make sure all of your grounds are good (engine to body ground and negative battery cable) and make sure the battery cable and the other wires going to the starter at the starter end is free of corrosion too. 

[Eagle_SX4]

I have had a starter that bench tested fine but when installed on the vehicle it refused to turn the over. Changing the starter fixed the problem. I would suggest taking the starter to you local parts store and having them test it.

 

It would be good if you could get the vehicle to the store so they can test it in the truck. If you have a manual transmission maybe you can push start it?

[BentGear]

Here's an update.  I reinstalled the starter.  I keyed the vehicle on. I crawled under the vehicle with a wire and tried to bridge the power from the big cable to the signal wire, like when I tested it.  It clicked once but did not start.  

 

However, one other wierd thing happened, the voltage dropped completely in the entire vehicle.  I disconnected and then reconnect the battery and it came back.  The battery read full charge the entire time, but the ACC power only read 6-7 volts.  After disconnecting and reconnecting the battery and keying back on, the ACC read 12.75 again.  This happened everytime I tried it.  

[pizzaman09]

You might have a weak or shorting starter motor.  If your cables are not corroded internally, I'd look at the starter.  I am not familiar with where the solenoid is.  

[llhat]

solenoid on the starter

it does a couple of functions, 

transfers power from the battery to the windings,  and 'pulls' the lever to engage the bendix to the flywheel

 

there is also the starter relay up behind the battery under the plastic cover over the coil and some relays.

this relay supplies a signal to the solenoid ( small wire) to energize.

start.pdfstart.pdf

 

 

 

Sounds like starter winding shorted to me...   and some contacts 'fried' in the relay or solenoid  ( the extreme voltage draw that you are experiencing)

i take it you did not release any 'smoke'?  
check your cables for resistance or damage...  

 

good luck!