Engine Won't Start... HELP!!!

Sounds like it. I guess I was lucky, had the factory battery on my '06 just die last month.

 

Got a new battery, still won't start.

Guess it's back to square 1 again.

 

starter?

 

Check fuses?

 

First thing I did. Everything that was related to the engine starting all looked fine.

 

Starter solenoid

 

Been there, done that. It does work. I used to park my 1st gen on an incline if possible (manual tranny) and carry a hammer in case of no-start. When I could afford it, bought a new starter, and installed myself, so easy.

 

not brushes?

 

try a different key

 

.

 

I would expect to hear a single "click" from the starter if the contacts in it are bugared up. Another thing to try is shifting the truck to neutral and then try starting. Keep your foot on the brake or set the park brake while doing this. Every so often, the park position in the neutral-safety switch won't make a contact so it can create a situation like this. Other possibilities could be a bad start switch on the back of the ignition cylinder housing, a bad starter relay, or even a corroded battery terminal. Maybe try rapidly bumping the start position with the key several times in case it's a bad switch. This can sometimes clean the contacts within the switch.

 

Would this work if the engine itself isn't even turning over?

Maybe, but wouldn't you be able to hear it try to engage?

I would, but I left my other key in my dorm room 2 hours away.

 

I don't think it would be a key. It will still crank with a bad or non programmed key, it would just cut fuel and spark.

 

Heh, would hook you up, but I moved to Durham about 1.5 years back :\

 

Sounds like a starter issue by the way. If the electrical in the truck is working, your battery should be good, unless the voltage has dropped below a threshold to power the starter. Just an FYI, powering the starter to turn crank the motor until petrol takes over is about the most electrically intense thing vehicles do, so long as there's no winch being used. Your battery may have enough voltage to power accessories but not crank.

Edit: just read rest of thread.

Take a look at the alternator. If you got a new battery and it shit out again, means it's most likely not charging while you're driving.

 

I got a new battery earlier (thought it was time for a new one anyways, rigged machine at autozone said it was bad so why not) and it's doing the same thing. When I turn the key to start the radio turns off which tells me that it at least knows I want it to start. Probably getting it towed to a place in the morning, we'll see what they say. Don't think its an alternator since the battery should be fully charged since it's new, or at least charged enough to start it the first time.

ETA: the dude at autozone said the battery had charge, which also makes me think the alternator is okay.

 

Yes and no. If the alt is completely dead, then your vehicle is going to pull battery power to run all your electrical accessories, lights, and spark while driving. This can drop your voltage below crank level pretty quick. A healthy battery should be doing 12.x volts. Anything below 11.5 probably won't crank.

That does drop it down the priority list.

If it were me and I were prioritizing I'd go:

1) Starter Solenoid
2) Starter Brushes
3) Alternator



One last thing too - how are you battery terminals? Sometimes if they're a bit corroded, that can result in poor connection quality and a no-start. A quick test is to head out to your vehicle, wiggle the terminals on the battery posts some, and see if it cranks.

 

Wouldn't the solenoid at least make a noise like it was trying to engage? When I turn the key no noise is coming from the engine bay area at all.

Battery terminals look just like they do from day one. Even took the connectors off and put them back on again and still nothing changed.

 

Not if it's fucked. The solenoid may not be engaging consistently, and that may be your problem.

Check on the Big Three first, then start to look for stranger mysteries if none of those pan out. Diagnosis is largely a matter of forming a list of possibilities and then ruling things out. We do it the same way in medicine.

 

Does that hurt? What happens when I touch right there? No, nothing? How about this?