Hello all - I tried searching but I can't quite find my particular scenario or anything else to check based on others' issues - so here is where I am:

I have a '91 W150 truck with a 318 and manual trans. I had it running one day and the next day it wouldn't start. Turning the key gives me nothing.

I opened up the hood and found the ground wire from the battery to the block was disconnected from the block. I'm hoping it just slowly rattled loose vs vandalism - but who knows. I reconnected to the block - but still no start - now it's just some odd clicking (not what I consider 'standard' clicking when your battery is dead but I don't know how else to describe it).

Jump starting does not help. I replaced those cheap little fuseable links based on info I found online - still no dice. Found that roll starting does work so I took the starter to O'Reilly's and they said it passed the test on their bench tester, but it sounded terrible. He showed me the difference between it and a new one and it was very noticeable so I bought the new starter. Now the scenario changes a little:

Initially - still no start. Checked battery voltage and it was low 10 - so I jumped it. At first with jumpers, engine cranked for a millisecond and then nothing. Waited, tried again, similar but a slightly longer crank attempt. Had wife rev up the Jeep while jumpers still connected while I tried again and it tried twice to crank while I held the key on for a sec. I tried again, holding the key in the start position, and it slowly started to crank and finally fired and was then running. About 5 seconds or so, slowly increasing rev speed before finally firing.

Ran for awhile, shut it down, confirmed over 12v on batter - tried to start w/o jumpers - back to same clicking sound.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

There has got to be a bad connection somewhere based on the way it will still start very slowly with jumper cables - but I am at a loss.

Any input is extremely appreciated!!

 

This sounds to me like the very very basics of bad connections and cables. What I don't understand is how this became what seems to be so convoluted. Has it been parked for months?

Frankly you've had so much trouble that I'd go through the entire main starting / cable system

1...Start with the battery.

A.......How old is it? Depending on this answer consider replacement

B......The battery must be charged if it's capable of being charged, see A above. A fully charged battery should be at 12.6V. This is after the "surface charge" is dissapated, meaning you can't charge it, remove the charger, then measure voltage. When you charge it, remove the charger, turn the headlights on for about 1/2 minute and let the battery set for awhile, then check terminal voltage. Several hours if possible. A battery below 12.2 that has been charged is done Replace it

C.....Inspect the main cables carefully. Even this is no guarantee because they can corrode away INTERNALLY where you cannot see them. This essentially changes a nice big cable into a little bitty cable

CLEAN the battery terminals. Buy yourself a "battery brush" at the store.

This type has been around before I was born (I'm 66) and they work just fine



You seem to have a multimeter, so if the above doesn't change the "scene" it's time to do some voltage checks. What you describe "clicking" sounds like classic bad connections / cables / dead battery. A very very quick check is to attempt to crank the thing with headlights on. If the headlights go out when trying to crank, this shows that it's "right there" at the battery, main cables, or distribution point to the fuse panel, etc.

If the lights stay on but the starter won't crank, then this might indicate bad starter, starter relay, cables to the starter, etc.

 

Great info, Thank you!

Truck isn't used every day but it only sits for a week or two at a time.

At one point I disconnected my battery and just left the jumper cables hooked up to the leads and that did not change anything.

I will do some more testing and let you know what happens.