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T100 won't start. Electrical short?

4K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Curtis1 
#1 ·
I'm fighting an issue starting my '95 T100 4x4. It seems random but is getting progressively worse, and shows up in one of two ways. Sometimes when I try to start it, it just clicks but doesn't turn over, but the lights and radio and everything else work fine. Other times when I try to start it, there is absolutely nothing- no buzzing when I put the key in the ignition, no lights, like the battery is dead. Jumping it usually doesn't make a difference, although last night it started right up with a jump. I can't find any reason or pattern to which issue will come up, but it's happening very frequently now. Sometimes after a while it will start again; sometimes after I monkey with it for a while it will start, but I can't tell that anything that I've done has made it start.

I changed the starter when I just got a click, but that didn't make any difference. The battery and alternator both test good. I replaced an electrical connector on one of the wires connecting to the battery that broke, and cleaned the battery terminals and connectors really well. None of it seems to make any difference.

When I do get it running, there are no issues at all.

I think it may be a short somewhere, or someone mentioned that it might be the key cylinder (which to me doesn't explain no lights). Other than digging in and looking for loose connections, I don't know where else to look. Any ideas?

Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
i would try checking and cleaning all major body, and block grounds.
 
#3 ·
Welcome to the forums!

Do you have an alarm system installed? OEM or aftermarket? ;)

Auto or manual transmission? If auto, does the lights fer the gear selection work fer the gear indicated? Have you tried starting in Neutral? (suspect neutral start switch) ;)

Has yer T-100 been in an accident before? Has the truck been broken into before? ;)

What exactly are you doing when you are "monkeying around with it"? ;)

What wire did you replace the connector on? Have you traced the wire you replaced the connector on to where it goes? Post a piccie of it, please. ;)

It sounds like the wire feeding the main fuse box may be questionable. Piccies of the engine bay, battery connections, wiring to fuse box, as well as yer grounds would be helpful. ;)

Have you measured yer ground potential (with a multimeter) from the battery to various points on the engine, body, and ground points? One area that gits overlooked is the brown ground wires on the air plenum as well as their contact surfaces. ;)

Report back with piccies, please. ;)
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the welcome, and for the responses!

I ended up finding the problem. I suspected it was a loose/poor connection, and I knew I had it when I found a 9V difference between the negative battery terminal and the frame. The previous owner had installed an oddball connector on the cable connecting to the negative terminal. It had curved ends so it didn't make a good connection. Once I got that flattened out and got a good connection, it fired right up.

Thanks again for your advice!
 
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