Won't hit a lick. 1st gen 99 V6 auto 4x4

My front left running light wasn't working. So I took the light out and the two wires that go in the socket were broke (me not thinking I didn't turn the lights off) when I grabbed it the wires touched and blew the fuse. No big deal I fixed the wires and changed the fuse. The lights were working. Get in my truck to crank it turn the key on everything electrical inside and out works. When I turn the key over all I can here is the relay click one time. It doesn't even try to turnover. The starter solenoid isn't clicking or anything. Prior to this morning I haven't had any problems with anything. I didn't have much time to mess with it but what I did check was battery connections. All the fuses in both fuse boxes. Tried jumping it off another truck. Checked the wires running to the fuse box. The only thing in the fuse box I'm not sure about are the relays idk how to check the them. I'm new to this forum so if this is in the wrong spot just let me know. I have searched and searched for answers this morning any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

There's only a few things in the start circuit.

 

How old is the battery?

 

Ok guess my next question is how would the parking light circuit have any affect on the equipment circled in red in the picture ol above. Battery is about 8 montgs old I guess

 

Scratch that it fixed itself lol

 

If it fixed itself, your battery terminals are probably lose and/or dirty. Take them apart and clean everything with the NAPA cleaner, reassemble, then put the pink sealer on everything.

 

Yeah everything in the description took place when I stopped at Walmart on my way to work to get the bulbs I needed. I messed with while I waited in a coworker to get there but had to leave. Got back to it this evening and it fired right up. Both positive and negative leads are brand new and we're put on my the battery warehouse. I can't imagine what happened. But I'm not gonna complain.

 

Ok I wasn't as lucky as I thought. It happened again at the same damn Walmart. I did find out that I can jump the starter and it will crank. So does this mean I have a solenoid problem or maybe the neutral safety switch?

 

Without jump, it won't crank over? With jump it cranks but doesn't fire up?

 

As it sits right now not jumping anything just turning the key to start it like normal. I turn the key to the on position everything inside and out comes on like it should the lights, radio, heater blower, etc. but once I turn it over to crank position it does nothing. You can here the relay in the fuse box click but that's it no starter clicking no cranking over nothing. Now if you turn the key to on position and get underneath and jump the starter it cranks over and starts. Now the part that has me stumped is it doesn't do it all that. In fact it's only happened twice and both times it was on my way to work so that's an issue. I think the part in my original post about my running light blowing a fuse when the wires touched together was a coincidence I don't think it had anything to do with my issue I have now.

 

What work or maintenance has been done on it, besides what you mention in this thread?

 

If you jump to your battery, it doesn't crank over or start? But bypassing and going 12v straight to starter leads and it will crank and start? Just making sure I understand fully

 

Sure sounds like a bad solenoid or a lose connection at the solenoid. Just make sure you do the diagnosing before throwing parts at it.

 

Nothing other than oil change and radiator flush but that was a couple months back.

No I scratched a little of the coating off the wire that goes up to the fuse box from the startwr I guess to ignition. Then took a screwdriver and touched it to the bare spot on the wire and the post on the starter.

 

tap on the starter with a hammer while holding it in the start position. If it starts then your solenoid is getting weak. New starter.

 

Sounds like the plunger in the starter is bad. Pretty common and easy to fix.

 

Put the shift lever in N position & wiggle it while trying to crank it over, I have to do that in real cold weather sometimes.

 

Well that makes sense because I'm in north Arkansas pipelining right now and the past couple days have been pretty cool. But I kind of tried that little trick you're taking about and it didn't work. When you have to do that doesn't it usually straighten up instantly or does it take a minute of vigorous wiggling. that sounds bad but you get my point.

 

No it shouldn't take much wiggling. If the relay outside i mentioned is clicking. The park/neutral switch is ok.

 

Just an fyi thing, sometimes your battery wires can corrode inside the sheathing a couple inches up and you'll never know without cutting the sheathing back and looking. Had that issue once, couple inches up the wire it was totally corroded up in there all green and shit. So that can cause some funky issues with starting every niw and again.

Anothing thing i wanted to mention(and prolly not pertinent to this issue) is the big square fuses(that can look sorta similar to relays and some peeps think they are) in the inder hood fuse box dont just pull out. They are bolted in from the underside of the box. Thought id mention that incase you tried to pull them out and didnt know. They are just like a normal fuse as well, as far as checking them to see if they're blown, the lil element will be burnt in two.