I need help with my 1996 K3500 GMC 202K miles & 5 speed. Problem: Starter fails to turn the engine over. Here is the breakdown of what happened and what I have done so far:
- The truck right now is not a daily driver as I am waiting to install either remain or new injectors & glow plugs.
- I last drove it on Saturday May 23rd with no issues at all. About a 1 ˝ hour each way trip. Once I arrived it sat for about 5 hours and then I loaded up and drove home. No problems.
- In all the time I have had the truck it has never failed to start or in this case the starter has never failed to engage (turn the engine over) and start the truck.
- On Sunday, May 31st I went to start it and after the start engine light cycled on & off as usual (I can also hear the lift pump working) I depressed the clutch and turned the key to crank the truck and nothing! I tried again same result. I only had limited time so I checked the batteries with cables removed and they were around 12.6 volts each. I cleaned the terminals and reinstalled the batteries. No cranking of the engine!
- I went under the truck and found the starter. Not having much time at all I lightly tapped the starter and the starter solenoid with the handle of a long flat blade screwdriver. (That has worked for me in the past on other vehicles) I got in the truck and the first turn of the key and nothing. Then I tried a few more times and after a few tries it clicked and cranked wright up. I drove around the neighborhood and it ran great, shifted fine etc. Parked it and let it run for a bit. Then shut it down.
- So just yesterday, June 7th, I went out to crank it up and again, after the cycle of the wait to start light was done, when the key is turned nothing. The radio clock and the “Water in fuel” lights go off as you turn the key to crank – but no starter engagement.
- I had a bit more time so I decided to get the passenger side up on a jack stand to get a better look at the starter. Thinking I might have a loose cable or wire. Well I could not find a good angle to actually see the front of the starter solenoid where I could get a good look. I managed to get my hand up to the front of the solenoid and the cables/wires seemed tight. I wiggled them some and tried to start. No cranking/turning over of the engine. I tried again some light hitting on the starter and the solenoid and then tried to crank it and nothing.
I am at a loss as to what to try next. It is not a fail to start – it is a fail to crank. The starter has always (in the time I have owned it) cranked fast and hard and never once acted like it would not crank or turn the engine over.
Any thoughts? Ideas to try?

All help is appreciated. I need to get it started so I can pull it inside to start working on it……
Thank you!

~GOD BLESS~

John

 

Voltage doesn't mean much. You need to load test each each of the batteries without them being connected. This will show you the cranking amps each is putting out.

one loose cable or bad ground can also give you all kinds of no start problems.

 

I have a volt meter and two good battery chargers - how do you do a load test on each battery when it is disconnected please?

Thank you!

~GOD BLESS~

john

I'll also double check my grounds.

 

You need a battery load tester. $30-$40 bucks. Most big chain auto parts stores will do it for free.

 

 

I appreciate your help. Thank you.

~GOD BLESS~

john

 

UPDATE – Currently I can only work on my truck on the weekends. Armed with all the great tips and suggestions I went to work yesterday after church and here is what I found:

- Pulled each battery from truck and tested using a load tester. They tested fine. Also just a regular voltage check and they had proper voltage. So that told me the batteries were good and also that I do not have a parasitic voltage drain to track down.

- Removed both battery ground connections and cleaned them and reinstalled cables. Checked ground at rear of truck and cleaned and reinstalled it. All grounds were tight and looked clean to begin with.
- Fuse box inside truck for IGN has voltage when key in crank position
- Under hood fuse box I installed a new relay
- Under hood fuse box I pulled the relay and checked the terminals for that relay for voltage when key is in crank position
- Back inside cab checked and verified clutch/neutral safety switch is working correctly
- At the starter under the truck I checked for voltage at the small pole (purple wire from truck) on the solenoid when key is in crank position. It has voltage. Tried that test multiple times and got positive results each time.

Final test was to test the starter – I clamped one end of my extra heavy gauge single line jumper cable onto the starter where the wire/cable attachment from the solenoid power goes into the starter. I then had my wife turn the key to on. When she told me that the start engine light was no longer on I asked her to turn key to crank and depress clutch. I touched the other end of the jumper cable to the positive terminal of the passenger side battery and it cranked immediately. Started right up. Rolled under the truck and removed the jumper cable from the starter. Jacked up the passenger side – removed the jack stand and the jack. Put the 3500 back on the ground running like a champ. Went for a nice long drive – even hit the car wash. I just kept it running the whole time.

So armed with all this test information I determined the ignition is working fine and that the starter solenoid is the culprit. It does not even click or clank or anything.

I did find one issue that I need help with please.

I am missing the bracket that mounts to the engine block and then you mount your starter to it. I can see that the heat shield is missing the bolt from the end that is closest to the front of the engine. I assume that is where the bracket mounts to?

Where can I get a new bracket to properly mount my new starter/solenoid?

Any help is appreciated!

Thank you,

~GOD BLESS~

john

 

Sounds like you have been running without a bracket for quite some time. Consider yourself lucky, those starters have enough torque to snap off the starter bolts and even crack the block. You can get a bracket from the stealership for $17. I made my own from a small piece of angle iron.

 

Yes I had no idea about the front bracket. I have owned the truck for a little over two years. Fortunately I only need to start it one more time to get it moved into the basement for a 200K mile overhaul. Injectors, glow plugs hoses, belt, water pump etc.....

I wish I had metal working equipment - but I do not. So when you say the "Stealership" do you mean the dealership?

Thanks!

~GOD BLESS~

john

 

Yes dealership. I'm sure with a little searching you can find one from a online dealer a little cheaper.