starter troubles

[brian89gp]

It started off about a year ago, maybe once a month I would turn the key and get a "click". I would try it again and it would start without a problem.

Then about two weeks ago it would just click. I finally got it started after about 30 minutes of turning the engine over a little by hand and trying again. It continued to start fine for another week then the click and no start. I just got done replacing the starter and still the click and no start.

I have checked all of the battery cables and wire brushed all the terminals for good measure with no luck. Crossing the battery feed and the terminal to engage the starter solenoid give the same click.

What else should I look at? Bad batteries? They are less then 3 years old. Did I get a new bad starter?

93 auto
new starter
new battery cables, cleaned

[brian89gp]

Well, found the issue. I went out to give it another look over and noticed the positive cable to the starter was broken off at the starter terminal. The cable must have been almost broken (and hence the intermittent nature) and when I was shoving the new starter back up in there I broke it off the rest of the way.

[brian89gp]

What guage wire should I use for the starter cable? I have some 2/0 and 4awg currently, 4awg is too small and I'm not sure I could get 2/0 to fit down on the starter.

[sctrailrider]

The bigger the better....

[brian89gp]

I replaced it with 2/0, managed to get it to fit. Its amazing how much faster the starter turns now and how much easier the truck starts. I have a top post 2/0 flag connector for the passenger battery installed and am waiting for a single 2/0 top connector for the drivers side to come in then I will have 2/0 between everything.

I am running a frame and a body ground to the side terminals on each battery in 4awg, engine ground to the top posts in 2/0, then the alternator and positive feed to the distro block off the side terminals also in 4awg. Hopefully this ends the couple year battle with grounding and power issues...