Help: no start problem... please help

jason86

Marv
Dec 30, 2008
78
0
6
Sacramento, CA
i tried to start my truck today at the grocery store and had power with the key in the "ON" position and as soon as i turned the key to start everything went dead, absolutly no power to anything and retrying the key still gave me no power. after waiting for a min or 2 i could hear the guages reset like they do when you reflash with efi at the end of an upload when the computers reset and then i finally had power, so i tried to start again and the same thing happened. so after a few tries i put it in nuetral and as soon as i did all power came on, and it did start but it gave me that fast clicking sound like the batteries were dead for about 2 seconds and then all of the sudden it turned over and started.
my ecm and tcm reset along with my stereo. i know my tcm reset because my shifts were horrible like the taps were re-learning. and from the sound of the guages im pretty sure the ecm reset.
i have been having my voltage guage movining up and down from about 13-15 slowly but when i took it to napa and had them hook up the elctrical system tester everything checked good, and when i put a voltmeter on it everything is steady at both batteries and the jump point.

i beg you guys for your help. thank you far in advance
 

RENODMAX

Dead Wrong
Mar 4, 2008
3,602
0
0
i agree with everyone else. check your batteries too. my truck did crazy funky stuff when the batteries were going out.
 

jason86

Marv
Dec 30, 2008
78
0
6
Sacramento, CA
i will check those when i get home. my batteries are orbitals that are 6 months old

i forgot that this all started on saturday after i got a car wash and it wouldnt start after they were done with it.
 

jason86

Marv
Dec 30, 2008
78
0
6
Sacramento, CA
i think i may have found it. both of my negative battery cables are not tight at all but the bolts on the side post mounts are tight as hell.

does anyone know what kind of washer i can put in betweeen to make it tight. or some other fix?
 

LBZ

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 2, 2007
9,905
151
63
46
B.C.
A split lock washer would be my suggestion.

Stainless Steel or Copper would be best IMO to keep rust/corrosion to a minimum.

You could change the terminals to a screw top style and remove the bolt that threads into the batt. from the cable and use a lockwasher/nut assy. instead-but this is a bit of an F-around if you can't find the right stuff to make it happen.:D