Won't start. Won't crank. Just the sound of the relay

[edpdx]

under the dash. I have replaced my batteries with two new ones. The GP card is new from Antenna Climber.

I have been driving it for months since I cleaned the GP card contacts with sandpaper and inserted the new GP card. But today, out-of-the-blue, I turned the key, the WAIT light came on for 6-7 seconds as usual. I turned the key and get gauge lights and a soft snap (the gp relay?) then the loud snap of the starter relay behind the dash. I found that if I hold the key in the START position a millisecond too long that I also get this kind of Ned Beatty squeal?

Just removed all the battery cables and cleaned them. The Batts tested at 12.55 each, so I expect that this is enough juice to crank the starter. Pulled the red wire from the rear battery to the junction block near the GP relay. It has a good connection. The pink and green leads on the IP also got a scrub down.

The Doghead relay was swapped-in 6 months ago and seemed fine all this time with the exception of an occasional no crank, followed by a crank and start immediately after. I see this condition asked about frequently on this forum; but have yet to see a definitive cause listed. Since the ignition circuit seems to be the only circuit involved, why is the culprit so illusive? I have replaced batteries, GP card, starter relays, and invested a lot of time in this same problem last time it happened. It mysteriously disappeared after installing the new GP card last time; but I don't think that was the true problem.

Has anyone here truly narrowed the problem down to a failed component, or cause ever?

 

[acesneights1]

The disc in the starter sol(On the starter) could be burned. When you get no cranky...the best thing to do is start right at the starter and see if the Sol is getting energized and work back from there.

 

[doghead]

Best choice is to use a volt meter and follow the starting circuit along and find where your problem is. You may have a bad cable or a bad starter. New batteries can be bad also. Load test them.

 

[antennaclimber]

My M1009 was doing the exact same thing.
Wait light comes on, turn the key to start and sometimes the relay would just click and sometimes nothing at all.
Even had the squeal sound too!

Not having a volt meter with me when it happened, I finally found out that when I wiggled the wiring harness at the firewall connector and the truck would start.

So I took the electrical connector apart at the firewall and cleaned the connections.
That was a couple of weeks ago and the truck has been starting every time since cleaning the connections.
Karl

 

[Jersey4x4]

I had a starter die on my(Delco) after almost 10 years and went the cheap route of one of those eBay 28mt clones and now am on the third one in about 5 months. What happens is the button in the solenoid gets burnt or corroded(Both happened) and you get the click and no power across the large terminals of the starter to power the armature. I just got my brand new Delco starter today and it will be on tomorrow and mine will never do that again. Easy to test with volt meter or just a jumper wire with a light bulb on the armature side of the starter solenoid.

under the dash. I have replaced my batteries with two new ones. The GP card is new from Antenna Climber.

I have been driving it for months since I cleaned the GP card contacts with sandpaper and inserted the new GP card. But today, out-of-the-blue, I turned the key, the WAIT light came on for 6-7 seconds as usual. I turned the key and get gauge lights and a soft snap (the gp relay?) then the loud snap of the starter relay behind the dash. I found that if I hold the key in the START position a millisecond too long that I also get this kind of Ned Beatty squeal?

Just removed all the battery cables and cleaned them. The Batts tested at 12.55 each, so I expect that this is enough juice to crank the starter. Pulled the red wire from the rear battery to the junction block near the GP relay. It has a good connection. The pink and green leads on the IP also got a scrub down.

The Doghead relay was swapped-in 6 months ago and seemed fine all this time with the exception of an occasional no crank, followed by a crank and start immediately after. I see this condition asked about frequently on this forum; but have yet to see a definitive cause listed. Since the ignition circuit seems to be the only circuit involved, why is the culprit so illusive? I have replaced batteries, GP card, starter relays, and invested a lot of time in this same problem last time it happened. It mysteriously disappeared after installing the new GP card last time; but I don't think that was the true problem.

Has anyone here truly narrowed the problem down to a failed component, or cause ever?

 

[edpdx]

antennaclimber, which harness connector? Is it the one behind the fuse panel or the one by the Transmission tube... or some other one?

 

[edpdx]

I am checking all the wiring back from the starter relay. Has anyone found any of these wires to be problematic. I ask because they seem strong at the connectors; but some of them disappear into the harness and I am having a helluva time finding where they come out. Without pulling the starter, I wanted to verify the integrity of the wiring before removing any components. The ones that run through the firewall at the fuse bo, and the ones to the GP card box are at the top of the list for being the culprits so far.

I'll try to be methodical about this and test my progress so I can pinpoint the work that got (solved) me up and running again.

 

[antennaclimber]

The connector in the engine compartment at the fuse panel near your left foot.
I found two slightly burned connections there.
Karl

 

[acesneights1]

It is unlikely that the wire is broken in the harness. Not saying it can't be but usualy they break, deteriorate in exposed places. If you have power at the starter sol, the starter is toast, If you have no power at the starter sol then go back to the doghead relay and test there. Obviously since you did the mod, you understand the wiring, I hope...
If you have no power there on the 12v key side, probably the ign switch. If no power on the 24v constant then you need to trace that back. If you have power everywhere on the sol it's supposed to be then it's in the harness or connector...

 

[hilber]

I hope mine don't dothis. THis is like Greek to me. MAybe hands on I would pick it up and get r done.