96 Tahoe

[Krch0210]

I recently drove my truck on Monday January 21st for about 1.5 hours. I came out Tuesday morning to go to work and the car would not crank over. I was getting accessories and headlights but just a single click noise when trying to start. AAA jumped my vehicle yesterday and said to let it run for 30 mins. As soon as I turned my truck off I tried starting it again and nothing. Had accessories and headlights again and it would only click once when trying to turn it over. AAA came back out and tested my battery and alternator which both came back good. My battery is 2.5 yrs old and the alternator is about 4 yrs old. I didn't think it could be the starter because the truck was turning over and running when jumped. Could it still be the starter? Or does anyone know what it might be?

 

[lesterl]

There is a starter relay in the fusebox, it could cause that, or the starter drive on the starter could cause that, the underhood relay is like $10, the drive for the starter is $40..... There is also the possibility of a loose wire to the starter or something like that. You will have to diagnose it furter to find out.

If the battery were bad, you would have lights dim way down when trying to crank and or the starter chattering at you.....

 

[Krch0210]

Thanks, I appreciate your info. The problem ended up being caused by a ground wire that was fried. I did not find this ground wire until I had taken the starter off and had it tested at a local Advance Auto. The starter came back good and when bolting it back on I noticed the bad ground wire. Replaced the ground wire and the truck fired right up.

The only other question I have is that after it fired up I let it run for about 20 mins. Turned it off - cleaned up the garage and when I went to pull it out I tried starting it up and it did not crank over right away - I stopped trying to turn it over but the truck kept trying to turn over even with the key out. I am assuming the starter somehow got stuck (this happened late friday night). I have drove it every day since with no issue. Could this just have been a fluke? Or could that starter relay or even starter still be going bad?