Yet another starter issue

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Subourbon

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Hey all, hope you all had a good Xmas!

1982 6.2 diesel 4x4 suburban twin battery

Daily driver, 6.2 diesel, cold starts it complains etc etc.

Today, it cranked n cranked n cranked nothing, no start. But then loud, click and nothing.

But then! No lights no glow plugs nothing at all. Dead. Cold.

Tried a piece of poop temu battery charger that plugs into 120v house plug, two clips for the battery. Still nothing,
Tried with the gf's dodge dakota, keeping in mind I've got 2 batteries in this suburban for the diesel starting...

With her car connected, I got power back, lights glow plugs etc I got a loud click then nothing, still no crank. I would get this once and have to wait before getting power back, as if I tried straight away, dead truck no lights nothing.

Anyways, I was heading out and did t have all the time to investigate so took her car.

I did check the voltage on the batteries.
12.54, which, typically i get 12.86 12.9 ish. Everything on the Google machine says 12.54 should be enough to get going.

Tomorrow I'll take a closer look at the starter, clean some grounds up, and investigate further.

I wanted to hear some feedback in the batteries.
History, it started just fine every other time, a bit more cranking when it's very cold, I don't think the starter is cooked, I don't giver for longer than 10 seconds or so. After that I'll run the glow plugs again.

The batteries aren't that old, couple of years or so.

I did bring a new-ish battery back to the store where the guy put it on a trickle charge and said jumping woth another car wouldn't have worked. So I'm thinking pull the batteries and bring them to the store and see what they can do for charging.

Jjst wanted to post and get some feedback. Or if anyone has a list of usual suspects to target at first light.

Take care guys n gals happy new year, have a good 2024
Cheers!
 

PrairieDrifter

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Connections. They get cold sitting. then you go cranking on a higher compression engine and they got hot real fast because of a bad connection, which makes the connection even worse, especially if some melty stuff has happened.
 

Subourbon

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Starter connections?
We did have relatively warmer than usual weather last few days and it got cold again overnight
Alright, will check that out in the morning, thank you!
 

PrairieDrifter

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Starter connections?
We did have relatively warmer than usual weather last few days and it got cold again overnight
Alright, will check that out in the morning, thank you!
Starter. Batteries. Ground locations. Battery cable to terminal connector condition. Don't necessarily have to be bad, but probably need cleaned.
 

Subourbon

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I do have a block heater. I plug it in when it gets cold but like insaid it's been warmer last few days. Like 8 to 10 degrees (celsius) but after yesterday when It cooled down again, it's plugged in. And will likely remain so till the end of winter
 

Turbo4whl

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What @Rickf said. ^^^

I work on many medium duty diesels. The older the engines get, the more they like the block heater plugged in when it gets cold.

I am sure you have some type battery/starter issue. Cold engine requires many more battery amps to start.
 

Subourbon

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It lives!!!

Took out driver side battery, followed by passenger side battery, noticed passenger side had a loose hot (+ve) cable, but at that point may as well continue on. Cleaned every single ground in engine compartment, while charging individual batteries with that temu battery charger.
Tightened up alternator strap (had nothing to do with it not starting but, it'll feel good).

While reconnecting batteries, I plugged my block heater back in. Those batteries were charged right up coz it fired up with a ******* vengeance.

I guess just general routine maintenance help,.
Ground, checking cables n straps etc.. stuff I should've done before winter. Oh well.

I'm betting it was definitely loose hit cable coz my truck was dead. No lights nothing at all.


Anyways, enough rambling, gonna go for a spin, cheers everyone for commenting, once again happy new year!
 

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