i recently bought an 83 dodge 1/2 ton truck. the previous owner wired a push button start switch. the other day when i went to leave for work all i could get was a click out of the starter. i have since bought a new battery, new starter and re-wired the mess he had
(ive done better work on the side of the road than that guy did). but still, only a click from the starter....bendix is engaging but starter wont spin. any suggestions?

 

Did you try tapping it with a hammer while someone is turning the key to the start position? I have seen new starters crap out after only a few uses.

Also, how are the power cables going to the battery? Are they in good shape? Any corrosion inside the sheathing? Is the engine properly grounded and are those cables good?

Here is what I did on a 74 J10 that I had. I installed a new grounding wire (4 gauge) from the negative post on the battery to the block. I then ran a jumper from that mounting point on the block to each cylinder head. I also ran a grounding wire (10 gauge) from the negative post on the battery to one of the mounting bolts of the starter.

This allowed the starter to turn over easier and faster than ever before due to the direct path back to the negative post on the battery (instead of traveling though the housings, engine block and bolts). The pummer wire to each cylinder head also allowed for a better spark.

 

Unless the "new" (does not mean "good") starter is defective, this almost HAS to be a bad cable to the starter

 

Take a jumper cable from battery + and touch it on the starter just below where the battery + connects. If the starter doe's not turn, it's bad. If it doe's turn the cable is bad.