Starter clicks then nothing...

[1973c10]

Where does ground wire connect now after it was cut from
the alternator bracket ??

 

[Georgeb]

and the big question....... Were is the OP?

 

[Ashton84W]

I promise y'all I am not making this up... I honestly am not. I was digging around the starter again-nothing burnt. Looking at all the fuses-nothing. Multimeter test on the battery showed it at 12.63V. I decided to take the battery out completely and take it to AutoZone to get a second test. I also wanted to price out a new ignition switch as recommended. BUT before I went I wanted to try starting it once more so I could see if the headlights stayed on because I forgot to look. So I simply reconnected the cables to the battery and turned the key... BAM there goes the engine turning over. It wasn't just a single click and then nothing. IT ACTUALLY WORKED! My only assumption is that while I always disconnected the negative terminal, I never took off the positive cable. Maybe my baby was just giving me a hard time. I think we've reached that point in our relationship lol. Anyways I am just totally lost. Any idea on what had happened? Thanks for the help guys. I'll give y'all an update if this happens again.

 

[Ashton84W]

and the big question....... Were is the OP?

Forgive my stupidity but OP?

 

[Ashton84W]

Where does ground wire connect now after it was cut from
the alternator bracket ??

There isn't a ground wire. The two wires coming from the negative battery cable go inside the cab for the KC lights I have on a light bar in my bed. Those are connected to the metal dash right above the parking brake release. Maybe those are grounding it somewhat? Point being, I need a ground to the alternator bracket though. It's turning over though so somehow it's being grounded.

 

[Ashton84W]

In my experience, a single click is usually the starter. A weak battery would give you a rapid clicking as there is not enough amperage to hold the solenoid closed. I suppose it could be the starter relay, but I haven't seen them fail that way before. YMMV

The starter is brand new so it shouldn't have been that although there is never a certainty. Battery was good and it wasn't continuous clicks but just a single one. Question though, any idea were the ignition relay is in the truck? Thanks...

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Forgive my stupidity but OP?

"Original Poster"

 

[PrairieDrifter]

There has to be a ground. You definitely just had bad battery terminal connections at the battery posts.

 

[Ashton84W]

"Original Poster"[/QUOTE

Um are you talking about the PRO Code Sheet possible maybe yes maybe no??? Or am I missing something?

 

[Ashton84W]

Yeah I mean I guess. I always tighten them good but who knows. I still have an electrical gremlin somewhere though. The wiring is a monstrousity with most plug-in/connectors splices to other wires. But hopefully it was just the connections though. Much easier that way.

 

[1973c10]

There isn't a ground wire. The two wires coming from the negative battery cable go inside the cab for the KC lights I have on a light bar in my bed. Those are connected to the metal dash right above the parking brake release. Maybe those are grounding it somewhat? Point being, I need a ground to the alternator bracket though. It's turning over though so somehow it's being grounded.

Ok you have 2 battery cables right ?

One is the positive cables and it go's from the positive side of the battery
to the starter

The other cables is the ground cable
it go's from the negative side of the battery to the engine block
it looks like it used to run to the alternator bracket but got cut
so where is the negative battery cable running to now

 

[Georgeb]

View A for the correct ground wire routing.

 

[RThiel]

Quick test. Hook a jumper cable to the negative terminal and the other end to a bracket on the block somewhere. As mentioned above, you must have a large diameter cable from the battery terminal to the block somewhere, or else it will seek ground through something else. Something you don't want. I worked on a truck once that had a similar problem, and I figured it out when the manual choke cable turned bright red hot. The ground to the block was bad and it was grounding through the choke cable where it passed through the firewall.
The starter is the highest load on the electrical system, which is why the battery cables go directly to the starter solenoid relay and ground on the block.