No crank

[Utkin]

So I am having a problem starting my truck I hear a click from the solenoid on the fender and that’s it no cranking from the starter. I have newish batteries a new starter solenoid on the fender a new starter and new battery cables.

 

[Cubey]

There is a second solenoid attached to the starter that can go bad. Despite being new, maybe it's bad already.

If it's an automatic, try putting it in neutral and see if it'll crank. Could be a bad neutral safety switch.

 

[franklin2]

Do you have a voltmeter or testlight? If you do, put it on the large lug on the starter relay on the fender, the one that goes to the battery. It will light up or show voltage. WHILE STILL HOLDING THE METER OR TESTLIGHT ON THE LARGE STUD, get a helper to try to crank the truck. If the voltage drops to zero or the light goes out, your batteries are dead or there is a poor connection at one of the batteries.

You can move your meter or testlight around to different spots to narrow down the problem. You must check for voltage WHILE A HELPER TRIES TO CRANK THE TRUCK. Voltage readings just sitting there tell you nothing.

 

[Utkin]

I took the starter to AutoZone and tested it and it's all good. if I hear a click in park how would putting it in neutral change it?

 

[Utkin]

I did that and with the ignition off it read 12.7v and under load it read 5.6v on the starter solenoid.

 

[franklin2]

I did that and with the ignition off it read 12.7v and under load it read 5.6v on the starter solenoid.

5.6v is no good. Move to the very top of the posts on the battery. Then do the test again. If you are right on the battery posts, and get 5 or 6 v, your batteries are low.

If during the test the battery stays at 12v, then move your leads to the cable ends at the battery. If you get 12v on the battery, but get 5 or 6 v on the cable ends, you have a bad connection from the cable to the battery.

 

[Utkin]

the batteries are fine I did that test and got the readings on the starter solenoid.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I took the starter to AutoZone and tested it and it's all good. if I hear a click in park how would putting it in neutral change it?

Sometimes, if your neutral safety switch goes bad, it won't let the starter work in park, but will in neutral.

 

[franklin2]

the batteries are fine I did that test and got the readings on the starter solenoid.

You got 5.6v on the batteries? That is no good.

 

[Utkin]

the batteries read 12.2v under load. the starter solenoid on the fender read 12.7 no load then under load it read 5.6v

 

[Utkin]

Sometimes, if your neutral safety switch goes bad, it won't let the starter work in park, but will in neutral.

I just tried starting it in neutral and I have the same results.

 

[franklin2]

the batteries read 12.2v under load. the starter solenoid on the fender read 12.7 no load then under load it read 5.6v

So that means the problem is between the battery and the starter solenoid. It's going to be a bad connection on the battery, a bad cable, a bad connection from the cable to the starter solenoid. Or it could be a bad ground from the battery to the engine block.

Are you getting how to do this testing? For instance the ground. Where are you putting your ground lead from the tester when testing the 5.6v? On the battery negative? Or the engine block? Or somewhere else?

As you move the testing points around, you end up downstream of the problem and get 5.6v, or you end up upstream of the problem and get 12v.

 

[ihc1470]

If the dash and HVAC system are working turn them and your headlamps on for a couple of minutes. Then start feeling connections and cables when you find a hot spot you have found your problem. Also after a couple of minutes of loading the batteries measure the voltage and see what you have. This method works quite well 90% of the time and you do not need a helper.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I just tried starting it in neutral and I have the same results.

Yes you would. This isn't your problem. I was just answering your question on why it would make a difference.