i just bought a 1999 f-150. everytime the kid i bought it from showed me how "this things starts all the time"... it actually did. he showed me probably 5 times before i bought it. now i'm having problems with it starting.
when i turn the key, it just clicks.
last night i took the old battery out of my old truck and threw it in the new truck and that seemed to work.
i get out there this morning, and the fucking thing just clicks again when i turn the key.
is there a way to tell if the starter is junk, the starter selenoid, or the two batteries are junk?

If it's clicking, your solenoid is fine.

have someone try and crank the key while you hit the starter tube with a hammer. Easiest way to start a junk starter.

open the covers to your battery, make sure each cell is filled (if they aren't, add destilled water). Then start the car with the cell covers off, let the car run and make sure none of the cells are smoking or boiling.

the only real way to test a battery is with a battery tester. any local garage will probably check it for you free of charge. if it needs to be charged, they will charge it for cheap, but if it's in poor condition, it will run you about 100 bucks for a new quality battery.


Keep in mind when it's really cold like it has been, batteries and starters have a hard time working.

Don't rule out the altenator either. The battery is used for the innitial start of the car, and after that your electricals are powered by the altenator, which also charges your batteries.

if it's not doing it's job, your battery is being drained and not recharged.

Altenator failure typically would put the battery light on your dash on.


Where are you located? if you're near whitman and feel like driving to my garage, I can take a look at it for you tomorrow.

really dude? that would be awesome. i'm kind of familiar with whitman. i use to practice at priority in whitman. if you really don't mind looking at it, i'd like to take the opportunity to bring it up there. i'm sure i can get it started tomorrow. i really don't think it's the alternator, i remember in my old truck, everything went dim on the dash. i hope it's not that anyways. i think it's probably a starter issue. i just called advanced auto and they have refurb'd starters for $145 plus the core charge when you bring it back. the thing is, is i have just enough money to cover that. if you really don't mind taking a look at it, i'll be there anytime you say. just give me a street address and i'll mapquest it. thanks dude.

oh, do you do mechanic shit for work or just on the side?

It's the garage I work for, but I'll be the only one in my building tomorrow.

If you can show up around 9 - 9:30 ish in the morning I'll take a look and do my best to diagnose it for you. I won't charge you.

South ave motors. 180 south ave, whitman ma 02382

It's also a citgo gas station, it's about a half mile from priority in whitman.

I'm in the small building on the left, just walk in or ask someone for 'nick'. I don't want anyone there knowing I'm diagnosing something for free, so if anyone asks just say you're there for an inspection sticker and they will send you over to me anyways.

I'm a mechanic's apprentice. It probably is either the starter or the battery, but at the very least I'll be able to test the battery for you and recharge it if need be. (bring both batteries)

fuck'n ayyyyyy thanks man!
i'll do that. i'll bring 1 dozen hotdogs and 23 beers!
so, between 9:00 and 9:30
i'll do my best to get the thing started and get there on time.
thanks for you help dude.

No prob.

niccolai, know anything about AC units in cars?

what aboot them?

before i left for work this morning, i plugged in this old school battery charger a friend let me use. you plug it into a socket in the house and run an extension chord out to the truck and put this nipple pinchers on the battery. i've had it charging the whole morning i've been at work. i'll leave it on over night too, so hopefully i can get it started to see Niccolai!

DO A NEUTRAL DROP

mostly in the summertime, when I turn my AC or heat off, I hear a rattling noise. but when I turn it back on, it stops. it's been doing it for about 3-4 years and I haven't really looked into it. compressor?
also, lately, I've been having to fill up my anti-freeze (DEXCOOL) in the wintertime because it pretty much sucks it dry every few months. I've never noticed any leak.

but your neighborhood cats and dogs have.. um nummy

niccolai only needs 10 hot dogs.

It's probably the batteries. If the kid said over and over again that it starts every time, he's full of shit and just wants to sell the thing (I work in a used car lot, I know these things). He'll do anything he can to make it sound perfect, so he probably charged the battery knowing it wasn't gonna last long. Best bet is to throw in a brand new battery.

fucking shit. just got home from work and tried to start the truck and it's still just clicking? i went out there with a hammer to bang on the starter but i'm just a pretty dumb fuck. i don't even know where the thing is or what the fuck it looks like.
immortal. i switched batts last night. i don't think it is the battery itself. i think it's the starter.
Niccolai. my fiance's father is coming over with his mechanic friend to see if we can get it started so i can bring it to your shop tomorrow.
thanks again dude.

word. Like immortal said, It probably is the battery since the starter solenoid is still clicking.

We'll find out for sure tomorrow.

i know a dude who did that trying to burn his tires, and he sheared his driveshaft completely in half.

Haha -- that's probably the worst thing you can do to an automatic transmission. I used to do brake-stands in my piece of shit '86 Buick Regal, but I never had the balls to try a neutral drop -- my dad would have beat me to death if I dropped the transmission out of that thing!

Mess & Niccoli would make good friendz. I know both of you two mofos personally.

And recently, I had the same issue with the clicking start.. was the battery.

But if good batteries keep going dead that's an indication of an alternator problem, right? I probably should have read the thread.

sortof. typically a crappy altenator or over charging the battery can make the battery 'do funny things'

but it could also be a live current constantly draining the battery, or temperature change from cold to hot to cold to hot extremes.. yadda yadda yadda.

I saw someone on elm st in manchester cruising and blew his driveshaft into the street. it ruled.

good shit MSD. you feel me fo sho?
hahaha
so, i just went and got the other battery. now i have two batteries sitting next to the heater in my house (hopefully they blow up and kill my fiance' and i). but i read somewhere that temps have a lot to do with a car starting. i hope it's not the alternator. i remember when i had to replace an alternator in my old truck, a day or two before i replaced it, everything went dim. the dash, everything.
hey NICC: i'm going to go outside tomorrow morning around 8:00am and throw in one of the batteries. if i can get it started, i'll fly down to your garage. if i can't get it started, my fiances' father will be by with his mechanic friend. he said he found a starter in brockton somewhere for 80 bucks.
my fiance's jeep is shitting the bed too. i think the tranny is going. it takes forever to shift into gear. wtf is next.

Nicc: are you here?! i just got it started now and it's about 10:30am
is it too late to meet you down there?

yeah, it's probably too late. i don't want to get anybody in trouble. thanks for offering to help though, i appreciate it.
i have about a half tank of gas in the truck so i'll just let it run until someone can look at it. my buddy said i can bring it down to him at around 2:00pm. i'd like to know if it needs any parts before i meet him so he can throw them on.

just got done fixing it up. i owe my bud big time. it took about 2 or 3 hours. it was the selonoid and the starter. the starter was positioned for a retard to handle. fucking nuts. well, it's working now. we'll see.

off to Kang's now

these guys can fuckin PARTY!!

Take it from a redneck engine junkie. Your battery is toast.

I thoght everyone in maine drove BMW SUVs

i think youre mistaken a neutral drop is part of everyday maintenance

i should read threads before i reply

ATTN: NICCOLAI!
since you live in Whitman,
do you know of any scumbags that live in Whitman Center with the name of Ryan? i'm not sure of his last name. he's in his 20's? you'd be helping me out if you know anything.

bzzzzzzump

titty niccolai!