Soo I had just had les schwab replace my batteries in my dodge and that was all good and all it was last Friday and we were going on a trip. The truck ran and started fine and when we got back to town on Wednesday night I went to go out and start it and got the "click" sound first try. Tried it again and "click" but I held the key and it eventually rolled over and started. I thought weird so I left it over night because it was dark and I couldn't see anything but I woke up the next day and I didn't even get cab lights when I opened the door and there was an electrical burning smell. I thought great. Well the batteries are completely dead so I started sniffing around and traced to the starter where the positive was and it had melted the rubber cable shield. My guess is for some reason the starter solenoid went **** up because of the new batteries? My old ones were already in the ground dead but they were still working to a point. I checked the cables thinking that maybe the guy at les schwab had hooked something up wrong but everything was as it should be.

So my guess is the starter needs replaced which I priced at o'rielly's for $174 bucks rebuilt with a lifetime warranty and a $162 core charge (they must really want those back!).

Now I'm not 100% sure what the best route to take here. After I replace the starter what's the best way to starter the truck? Do I need to throw a charger on each of the batteries or can I jump start the truck and just take a drive for a while? If I do jump start it what's the best way? I don't really want to damage these batteries because they're new and I don't think you're suppose to run them completely dead either but I'm not an electrical guy so I'm not sure.

Or maybe it's something I'm overlooking to cause this? I couldn't find anything wrong except for the starter...Any insight anyone?

Thanks!

 

These solenoids like to stick. You may or may not have damaged the starter, but whatever route you go, I would put some oversize contacts in it to prevent this from happening again.

LarryB's Dodge starting problems solved here.

As far as charging the batteries, I'm not real sure. If I were doing it, I would disconnect both of them and charge them individually. I'm sure someone with more knowledge will chime in.

And yes! They really like to have these back. When my starter went out, the dealer wanted over $900 for a reman one through them!

 

I WOULD charge them seperatly. And you can just jump start it and drive it but i think i would do more harm than good on the batterys...

 

If you jump it that will put a huge demand on your alternator, charge them first.

 

Thanks guys I think I'll charge them first like you suggested.