Tomh4x4

I been threw 2 starters thinking it was that. Its not the starter. Where does the black wire across from the black and white wire go to?

Tomh4x4

I also checked the battery while it was running a few minutes ago and the alternator was good, battery level was at 13.75 and climbing.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Well, with repeated use, that wire will heat up to some degree. It is fairly small gauge and is not really rated to handle a 20 amp continuous load. But that said, you normally don't run around for hours on end with the starter cranking away. Does the small wire at the solenoid feel as warm or not? If not, those hot wires might be the source of the problem. Why? Well if there is some resistance in that wire then that resistance times the square of the current (20amps times 20amps = 400amp^2) is equal to the power dissipated in that wire, so using the 0.175 ohm figure from your 9 volt test would say 400amp^2 times 0.175 ohms and that equals about 70 watts. Your headlights are like 60 watts and see how hot they get.

abecedarian

13.75 is good. I'd expect a good charging system to settle at around 14-14.5 volts.

abecedarian

so you would suggest an external relay/solenoid?
or do you think there's a chance the switch is hanging, keeping the solenoid energized?

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Not sure, but a Factory Manual for your year truck would have the answer. Only 4 connections for the starter relay. You have 2 for the coil and 2 for the contacts. On the coil, one side is hooked to the ignition switch and the other side to ground ultimately. Send power via the ign. sw. and current flows though the relay coli and it pulls in it's contacts. On the contact side, one side hooks to some source of power, either the ignition switch (in stock form) or to the battery if you modify the circuit) and the other side runs to the starter solenoid (small wire) and then to ground via the starter's connection to the engine block.

Tomh4x4

Ok i Just cranked it up again several times. Before it go to the operating temp it quit cranking. I was checking the wire that was hot before and it wasn't hot. When the truck stopped cranking I held the wire and it got hot fast. I dont get it.

Tomh4x4

Abec are you suggesting the ignition switch getting stuck? The relay clicks everytime so wouldnt that mean the ignition switch is working or no? I just dont get why it would crank several times before it reaches a certain temperature that it stops all together. The starter is from oreillys, is it a p.o.s. and can't take the heat? Because I have bought two of them from there. But what would heat cause to stop things from working. Also its not like the temp has to go down a little to start again it has to go alllll the way down.

Tomh4x4

What is the circuit opening relay and where would it be located? I checked the b-w wire in the ignition switch. It too is getting hot, when the runner wont turn over. That wire connects to the black wire on the relay that is hot also.

abecedarian

this whole thing has me flummoxed

I've got a 72 firebird that used to 'sort of' act this way, but I would have to drive it about 50 miles, and even then I could smack it with a hammer and get it to work. It turns out that the solenoid on my 'bird wouldn't work because clearances are very tight between the moving parts in the solenoid... and the heat from the pipe was warming it up... but I had few options to fix it because the exhuast left the manifold right next to the starter so I couldn't reduce the heat much, other than by installing a heat shield on the solenoid from Summit. I went through 5 starters and each would work fine for a while, but would act up the same way after about 3 months.
You do not seem to have the same problem as I do because your's works once and that's it.

abecedarian

The circuit opening relay basically provides power to the fuel pump when cranking and when the engine is running, but opens the circuit to the fuel pump if the air-flow meter does not detect air being sucked into the engine.

abecedarian

i really think a separate relay, like 4Crawler mentioned earlier would be the next best thing to try.

Tomh4x4

Well you said the heat problem you dont think could be mine. But technically I can crank up the truck to a certain temperature. After that it wont crank, until the truck cools down all the way or possibly the starter cools down all the way. But why would this just start happening now. I have had the problem for about 2-3 years but the truck mainly sits because of this problem. However before that it worked fine just like a yota should. So is it a cheap starter from Oreilys that gets heated up and stuck? shorting the wires out and heating them up? Or is that way out of the picture?

Tomh4x4

Now is there a way to force turn the starter while it is hot without the ignition system. If it doesn't turn the starter over when it should no matter what, then I would say the heat is my problem. If the starter turns over then it is most likely something else.

Tomh4x4

Ok I crossed over the starter and it fired up as suspected. I don't know what else would cause it to work sometimes and not others. I guess I'll try the hot shot relay thats the only thing I can think of.