UGH Electrical woes in a small town

[azex]

N. AZ help appreciated.

So I'm on vacation at my "summer house", a small place in Northern AZ. I've been hearing weird clicks, more like TAK TAK when I'm off-roading on the bumpy rocky roads up here. When I go out on the pavement, or smoother roads, the TAK TAK stops. The sound is coming from under the dash.

So, the other morning it starts REAL sluggish...and when I get off road the voltmeter/ammeter is fluttering all over the dial. It will stay up into the green and then we'd bounce along the road and it would flutter down and back up like we were in the Bermuda Triangle.

Stopped and shut down the truck looking for smoke, a short, any indication of what might be the problem...and BARELY got the truck started again.

Alts are good, Batteries are less than 2 years old (Optimas), No smoke or burnt wiring present, Starter is less than 2 years old. Undoubtedly, there's some electrical issue going on but I have no idea where to start...and worse, none of the mechanics up here do either!

So, If you're in N. AZ and have a clue what might be plaguing my truck, please text me at 4 eight zero, six wun two, 3 zero eight five.

I'll happily pay you for your time.

I have very limited internet here, so I can't hover over this board all day for replies.

When the local mechanics look as baffled as I do...I know I'm in serious trouble.

D.

 

[Warthog]

First off check that your batteries are indeed fully charged and load tested. Optimas are not that good anymore.

And then get a voltmeter and start checking voltages on alternators.

Without this info we are all just guessing.

 

[nyoffroad]

If your hearing a clicking or as you TAK noise that leads me to believe that a relay/solenoid is making intermittent contact when you hit a bump. I'd be looking at the starter relay under the dash and follow that up with the glow pug relay. The starter relay points inside could be bouncing and and you may not even hear the starter, don't ask how I know.

 

[cucvrus]

Check your grounds on the battery. I just had a truck that the wait light would go on and I tried almost everything to fix it and it turned out to be a loose negative battery cable on the front battery. This is my long distance diagnosis. It may be wrong but it is an attempt to help you out from far away.

 

[turnkey]

I would hazard guess with a loose connection or bad relay....From the sounds you need someone to check out the batteries and voltages...As this is really needed to trouble shoot this one...One other thing you could try is get a headlamp or flashlight and look at the wireing under the dash...Broken, loose, burned, or discolored componets, are a way of checking it out...Then look under the hood for a loose ground on the fuse box or center wiring harness....Don't ask this one cost me some big bucks......

 

[dmetalmiki]

If you haven't fixed it yet, Taking a long shot from a long distance, (at "base and safe") I would star it. Turn on everything and watch the volt/amp indications. Are they stable?, Rev up the engine steadily watching and listening to the indications. Let it idle (all on still) now repeat the test whilst banging or shaking the dash etc. You could listen outside under the hood as well. Listen to the alternator especially. With everything off take off the positive lead and see if the vehicle stops.Stops? could be the alternator is bad or intermittent. (diode shorted) or open. (just plain broken!). I would check a wiring diagram to see where any relays regulators or cutouts are mounted. I would get the output of the alternators and have batteries checked. but of course that is a "back at home(civilization task)). Tell us any rusult findings and cure. Just my 15 penne'th.

 

[Csm Davis]

Swap the batteries around and or check them out of the vehicle also take off and inspect the battery terminal connectors.

 

[fitz]

I'm with nyoffroad on this one. I'm thinking its the starter relay.
Is it still the stock relay? If so I would drop down the relay mounting bracket. Now start the truck and carefully unplug the relay while the truck is running. See if this solves the problem. If it does, leave it unplugged ( just plug it in to start it, but drive with it unplugged).
When you get home is do the Doghead starter relay mod.

 

[Rustyshackelford]

I texted him this info.