Id check the wires, alt especially. You sad that wed it was turning over and then nothing. So the starter was working, id guess you messed up an alt wire and the battery is not charging.
Explains the starter turning over but to weak to start. Then did nothing because it was dead . Its just a guess.
As for autozone, who knows if it was their error, or your truck had prior issues, just gotta fix it regardless. Good luck, I'm intrested to see how it works out, and what the problem is.

 

Ahh, I thought you were in TN. I'm in Charleston, and yeah, the rain won't stop. Take the passenger tire off and you can get at the starter pretty easily and pull it out after removing a couple of brackets from the underside.

 

Hey I was just in Charleston this weekend. Didn't get to celebrate Valentines day last weekend due to a friend's wedding, so we went this weekend. Charleston is beautiful.

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Are you sure he arc'ed the two battery terminals together? I still think he arced positive to engine block or something attached to it. Just a short at the battery terminals would not cause a problem at the firewall.

The rookie mistake here is bolting in a battery that was connected. That's backwards. Install it, hook up positive, and last of all, always, hook up the ground. Battery 101.

 

This starter sucks. I can get a wrench on the bolts, but I have no room to turn it. The exhaust pipe is in the way.

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You'll have to use a bunch of extensions and get out from the exhaust pipe some to have room to turn. It's easier if you have a swivel-head socket adapter too. It's a pain to get to, but once you do it, it's really not hard. It's one of those jobs that takes a bit to figure out at first, but you could do in 30 minutes if you had to do it again.

 

Haha, it just sucks that I brought all my tools to Columbia with me EXCEPT my socket wrenches, which I forgot in Chattanooga. Oh well. At least there's an Advance close to where I live.

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First of all i would never allow any of those parts guys near my truck not even to put on wiper blades. But anyways I too dont think that the parts guy fried everything. To me it sounds like you have a starter going bad. That would explain the hard turning over however the bad starter could have caused the battery to go bad also. Check all your wiring in the starting and charging system

 

I'm thinking more and more now that it's the starter. I tried starting the truck when I got home last night. It turned over a couple times (not enough to start it) and then would not turn over again. I think the rain is supposed to come back, so who knows when I'll be able to get this starter off.

I also fixed the sketchy ground wiring that connected the engine block to the firewall. I'll try to remember to take a picture of it and post it when I get home tonight.

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take off all your other grounds and clean them and put them back on. especially wherever the negative side goes.

and about the autozone bashing, they just plain suck. most of them have no idea what they are looking at. every time i buy something from those people.....it's wrong. hate em with all my heart

 

Haha, yeah, that's how it goes. I have to come to Columbia soon to help my parents with some stuff and put an alternator into their old 1990 Ford Ranger. Too bad I'm not there already or you aren't tackling this a little later on, like next week, or I'd gladly bring my tools and help you do this. Anyway, sounds like you're on your way and from what you've said, sounds like it's definitely the starter. Good luck! Update us when you make some progress.

 

This is the most awful design ever. Nothing I do can seem to get these bolts off. No matter what combination of extensions, swivels, etc., I just can't get to the top bolt of the starter.

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A fire are you kidding? Hooking up a battery should be pretty simple. Then again making change for a twenty should be easy.
I would not let those clowns at AZ put wheels on a lawnmower . Start with the basics. Remove the battery and charge it. Does the car start yes/no.
yes, check charging circuit should read 13.5Vdc at idle.
No start then Check the ground from the negative cable to the engine block. Check the starter cable to the battery.

 

Lol we're a little bit passed that, but thanks for the help though.

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Fixed. Turned out to be the starter after all. Wasn't AutoZone's fault (not entirely at least).

I don't have the tools with me here to take off the starter, plus it's been raining here alot really limiting my time to work on it. I ended up tapping on the starter, and then turning the key. It would turn over a couple times, and then stop. I'd have to tap on the starter with a wrench again and repeat the process. Did this for about an hour and it finally came to life. Drove it to a local guy and give him a new starter. He put it on for $60. Everything seems ok now.

Still forgot to post the old crappy "wiring" that the previous owner used.

 

Interesting, good to hear you got her going .. the old tap the starter with a hammer routine.

 

Glad to hear she's all good now! That sucks you couldn't get to the bolts, it's definitely not the hardest reach, you could definitely figure it out if you had to. But, no matter now with a new starter!