Man I need help figuring out what's wrong with my truck. It's the first time it let me stranded. I turn the keys on and it didn't want to start the engine, pass on jump cables and still won't crank the engine during jump cables?! I don't know where the problem start? Battery? Alternator? Starter?

A little past history here, the battery is old, like 7 years, couple of months I notice some blue stuff around the battery, corrosion. I had them before in the past years but I know is common stuff so I clean them and thats it. Alternator, last month I clean the engine using the Gunk product and wash it with water. After it dried I turn the engine and run fine and everything. Driven over 400 miles. Starter don't know how to diagnose, i turn the key it want to crank and after it does a click nose. There lights, headlights, radio, AC all works, the battery gauge point the needle towards low. I did a voltage test and the battery read 12.19 right now. Last week it had 12.6. I check the voltage when the engine off. Where do i start?

 

Get your battery load tested. Mine did the same thing and needed a new one.

 

I bought a new battery duralast gold from autozone, connected and it turn on my engine right away. So i guess is not the starter since it got new battery. Now that leaves the alternator. I did a voltage test, 12.4 new battery with engine off, 14.2 with engine on, headlights, radio, windows roll down, AC max and pedal up to 1500 rpm. Can I rule out the alternator and it just a old bad battery?

 

I could have told you that it was a battery problem.

Your alternator is working 100% fine, batteries should be replaced much earlier than 7 years... a 7 year old battery can be dangerous specially if it starts leaking and causing excessive bluish-greenish crud....

 

Yea alternator is fine, took it to autozone and they did tested. Everything works now,thank goodness, didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars and the holidays coming