click... click... Boom
click... click... Boom So I have a intermittent problem starting my C10. The truck is ls swapped and has a 4L80E behind it.
The problem is every now and again I turn the key and I get a click, which is coming from the starter solenoid. I typically get a few clicks out of it and then she turns over and starts. I can then stop/start the truck a few time in a row and it fires up no problem. This will happen when the engine is cold, warm, or hot.
I have also noticed that occasionally the starter drags, almost like it's a low battery charge kind of drag. This will happen either after the noid clicks a few times before starting AND when I turn the key to start it for the first time. At first I thought battery of connection but I had the battery tested and it's good and I have gone thru the connection point and cleaned/tightened all of them like twice.
I'm starting to think this is the solenoid, the starter is a new/rebuild unit. Is there a test I can run to confirm if the starter noid is the culprit here?
Could the problem be elsewhere, like the ignition switch or neutral safety? Not sure if this is really where it's at given the distinctive CLICK from the starter noid but perhaps there is a intermittent weak trigger voltage? Would that cause the noid not to engage properly?
Fortunately I have yet to be stranded but the frequency appears to be on the rise so I thought I'd start the process! I guess I should mention there were 0 symptoms before the winter hit, when I pulled her out in the spring I immediately noticed the starter dragging which is why I chased the battery and connections.
FYI, I have dealt with starter noids getting way to hot/fired alot, this one isn't seeing alot of heat but I enclosed a pic for your assessment!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Jiqe31FpyEyESCECA
The truck has a small turbo and clearly exhaust is wrapped, plus I think there is a fair bit of room there! I have 0 problem running a remote noid if needed but I really don't think heat killed this noid if in fact it's the noid that is junk.
The problem is every now and again I turn the key and I get a click, which is coming from the starter solenoid. I typically get a few clicks out of it and then she turns over and starts. I can then stop/start the truck a few time in a row and it fires up no problem. This will happen when the engine is cold, warm, or hot.
I have also noticed that occasionally the starter drags, almost like it's a low battery charge kind of drag. This will happen either after the noid clicks a few times before starting AND when I turn the key to start it for the first time. At first I thought battery of connection but I had the battery tested and it's good and I have gone thru the connection point and cleaned/tightened all of them like twice.
I'm starting to think this is the solenoid, the starter is a new/rebuild unit. Is there a test I can run to confirm if the starter noid is the culprit here?
Could the problem be elsewhere, like the ignition switch or neutral safety? Not sure if this is really where it's at given the distinctive CLICK from the starter noid but perhaps there is a intermittent weak trigger voltage? Would that cause the noid not to engage properly?
Fortunately I have yet to be stranded but the frequency appears to be on the rise so I thought I'd start the process! I guess I should mention there were 0 symptoms before the winter hit, when I pulled her out in the spring I immediately noticed the starter dragging which is why I chased the battery and connections.
FYI, I have dealt with starter noids getting way to hot/fired alot, this one isn't seeing alot of heat but I enclosed a pic for your assessment!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Jiqe31FpyEyESCECA
The truck has a small turbo and clearly exhaust is wrapped, plus I think there is a fair bit of room there! I have 0 problem running a remote noid if needed but I really don't think heat killed this noid if in fact it's the noid that is junk.
How does the main ground wire connections look? How old are the cables? I had a C20 in high school that would only start cold and had to be pushed off or jumped when hot. Turned out my negative battery cable was rotten in the middle strands and the heat would cause the "good" copper to expand and there was just enough of a gap/corroded wires to kill connectivity. Replaced both positive and negative wires and the issue went away. Not that this problem sounds the same but unless these are new wires it is a possibility.
How does the main ground wire connections look? How old are the cables? I had a C20 in high school that would only start cold and had to be pushed off or jumped when hot. Turned out my negative battery cable was rotten in the middle strands and the heat would cause the "good" copper to expand and there was just enough of a gap/corroded wires to kill connectivity. Replaced both positive and negative wires and the issue went away. Not that this problem sounds the same but unless these are new wires it is a possibility.
The cables are old..... they look and feel like they are in decent shape but that doesn't mean much when your chasing electrical gremlins. Tough to diag too as it continues to be intermittent.
Maybe the best thing I can do it build new +/- main cables and install a remote relay, I have done this to a number of other rides in the past. It doesn't improve my diagnostic abilities but it eliminates a few extra variables and I can do a better job routing the wires. If that isn't the problem at least I'm left with an improved setup.
The easy thing would be to replace the starter and see what happens... I guess this isn't half bad of an idea either as I'm certain I'll build another 2-3 of these things so if the starter isn't the problem having a spare starter kicking around doesn't hurt. I actually have a new starter from a 2008 L92 but it is a different part number than the 2005 LR4, looks like the there is a tooth count difference of 9 (LR4) vs 11 (L92)...
Something I have noticed about starting the truck, it has always made a screetching sound when I started it. The flexplate is a PTC SFI unit and I always chalked up the sound to the FP/Starter combo... wondering it maybe it was just the starter all along.
There should be a big direct, hot cable from the battery to the starter and then a smaller cable that actuates the solenoid. I would start by measuring the battery voltage at the battery. Then measure the voltage at the starter from the big hot wire to the block. If those measurements aren't close, then that will indicate a ground or wiring issue.
The other thing to keep in mind is that your battery's voltage does not indicate it's starting power or the amps it provides for cranking. Some weak batteries, on their last legs, can still show you 12V. To confirm a bad battery, try jump starting the car with another vehicle the next time it acts up. (If it still act's up with a helper battery connected, that will confirm for sure that it isn't a battery issue.)
