Starter trouble

[T4x4R]

Hey all,

Ran into a weird problem tonight. Hoping its an easy fix.

New painless harness, new starter solenoid, new red top, new starter. When i turn the key to run, solenoid clicks, volts drop to about 2. When i put the leads straight on the battery, my battery is dropping to 2 volts.

Starter isnt turning over. Any ideas what ive done wrong?

 

[DirtDonk]

Where are you measuring the voltage when this happens?
And what position are your two small wires on the starter relay in?
The brown should be on the right towards the starter, marked “I“ and the red with blue should be on the left to the post marked “S“ on the battery side.
Try removing them both, then turn the key back to on. See if the battery power still goes down.

 

[Brush Hog]

Maybe a ground issue. Make sure they are plentiful, clean and tight.

 

[Wild horse 75]

The battery is probably dead. Optimas can read 12v with no load then drop to 0 with a load. Try charging the battery and see how that goes. Put it on a low trickle if you don’t have an AGM charger.

 

[ba123]

Yeah, either ground or batt charge.

If you go straight to you charger, it should turn unless your starter is no good, which is also possible.

Go batt to starter and negative to starter bolt.

 

[T4x4R]

Where are you measuring the voltage when this happens?
And what position are your two small wires on the starter relay in?
The brown should be on the right towards the starter, marked “I“ and the red with blue should be on the left to the post marked “S“ on the battery side.
Try removing them both, then turn the key back to on. See if the battery power still goes down.

Measuring the voltage from the starter side of the solenoid, and then also checked to see if im getting good volts on the s post. I dont have a coil so the I post is empty. I have a hyper spark / sniper etc.

When I remove both the battery doesn't change, it stays a constant 12v.

 

[T4x4R]

The battery is probably dead. Optimas can read 12v with no load then drop to 0 with a load. Try charging the battery and see how that goes. Put it on a low trickle if you don’t have an AGM charger.

thats super interesting, I guess I assumed it was good since it is new. I put it on a trickle last night so I'll see where its at. My gauges are showing it at 12v but you know how that goes

 

[T4x4R]

Maybe a ground issue. Make sure they are plentiful, clean and tight.

This maybe my biggest issue. I only have 2, one from the batt to the frame, and 1 from the engine to the frame. Should I add more and where?

Thanks everyone for the input, im going to work on it today and see what I can figure out. it hasn't run in 11 years! so im pretty excited to hear it turn over at least

 

[bmc69]

thats super interesting, I guess I assumed it was good since it is new. I put it on a trickle last night so I'll see where its at. My gauges are showing it at 12v but you know how that goes

12.0 Volts is less than 50% charge. Should still try to crank the engine though.

 

[T4x4R]

Yeah, either ground or batt charge.

If you go straight to you charger, it should turn unless your starter is no good, which is also possible.

Go batt to starter and negative to starter bolt.

this is a good idea to rule out the starter, ill give this a go today as well

 

[bmc69]

This maybe my biggest issue. I only have 2, one from the batt to the frame, and 1 from the engine to the frame. Should I add more and where?

Thanks everyone for the input, im going to work on it today and see what I can figure out. it hasn't run in 11 years! so im pretty excited to hear it turn over at least

What size cable are your grounds?

 

[T4x4R]

12.0 Volts is less than 50% charge. Should still try to crank the engine though.

oh really! that might be my problem then. So when I hook my tester up I should see 24v or more?

 

[T4x4R]

What size cable are your grounds?

6ga. I have some 4ga laying around that I could use if that would be better

 

[bmc69]

6ga. I have some 4ga laying around that I could use if that would be better

I never use smaller than 2 ga for ground cables and usually 1/0. I also always ground (using that HD cable) the battery to the engine, engine to frame, battery to frame. Can't ever have too many grounds and I usually use the frame as the ground patchfor my winches too.

 

[T4x4R]

I never use smaller than 2 ga for ground cables and usually 1/0.

ok good to know, ill swap them out as well. Where are you grounding everything out?

 

[bmc69]

Also..be cautious!..if your battery has plenty of capacity and you are still seeing a huge voltage drop, that means something is close to a dead short and wants to make smoke.

 

[bmc69]

ok good to know, ill swap them out as well. Where are you grounding everything out?

Ground lug on engine block. Any bolt on the body that's handy. Any bolt hole in the frame that's handy.

 

[T4x4R]

I never use smaller than 2 ga for ground cables and usually 1/0. I also always ground (using that HD cable) the battery to the engine, engine to frame, battery to frame. Can't ever have too many grounds and I usually use the frame as the ground patchfor my winches too.

thank you! I'll make those adjustments today as well, im "under" grounded for sure

 

[T4x4R]

Also..be cautious!..if your battery has plenty of capacity and you are still seeing a huge voltage drop, that means something is close to a dead short and wants to make smoke.

would a bad ground or not enough grounds make that happen (voltage drop like that)? Im assuming the energy has to go somewhere, so it would arc or discharge onto whatever is the path of least resistance

 

[ba123]

oh really! that might be my problem then. So when I hook my tester up I should see 24v or more?

Fully charged is 12.6 volts I think. Correct that 12.0 is not charged.