Hello all,
Is there some kind of safety switch that disengages the starter starter wire besides the neutral safety switch?
Rolls over 2-3 times then stops. Also sometimes just doesn’t roll over at all. Turn the key back to off and then forward to start again and it tries again.
Doesn’t seem to be starter relay, ignition switch, battery or alternator. (My battery didn’t seem to charge enough is why I replaced). My mechanic friend doesn’t think it’s the starter either.
Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

Do a starter draw test.

What year is your truck? How many miles?

 

2002 with 215k.
how do I go about doing a starter draw test?

thank you for your reply.

 

One of your local parts store should be able to test that for you. Just drive over, and ask. (or, call 'em, see if they can, and when you find one, go visit.)

Might be just the starter failing.

 

Next time it does it..... Have someone hold the key in crank position while you tap the starter with something heavy, like a hammer. If it jumps to life, it's the starter

 

I'm still looking for a fix for this. It's been 3 years and I've driven it whenever it starts for me. Seems to act up more when it's cold out and been sitting more than a day or two. It's not the starter. Something is killing the start process. It cranks 2-3 times then stops cranking with the key held on Start. It's definitely killing the power to the starter solenoid, confirmed by a test light. I ran a wire back into the cab from the starter solenoid wire and am able to put power to it with the key in the crank position. When I do that it just cranks and cranks, like it's not getting fuel or maybe spark. Whatever it is shuts off things like maybe the fuel pump. I need to find the wire to that to hook up a test lead to determine if that's it. I don't really even care about fixing it right at this point. If I have to rig up a row of toggle switches for each thing in the starting process, that's what I'll do.

 

Have you tried replacing the relay for the starter?

 

Yes I’ve replaced the starter relay in the fuse box. But when I ran a wire to the starter solenoid, that effectively bypassed all of that anyway. The issue is not just cranking. It is affecting everything else as well because I can get it to crank by sending power directly to the starter solenoid. But then it just cranks and cranks without firing.

 

Try feeding it power with the ignition in the run position, will it start then?

 

Thats exactly what I’ve been trying to explain that I did. No it still won’t start. Then it just cranks. Whatever it is also kills other systems as well. Like maybe fuel pump. I have not confirmed this yet.