BROKE DOWN TRUCK NEED HELP

[walters844x4]

Hi i have a1984 720 and I NEED HELP just got it a month ago and was driving down the road (mind you yesterday it was driving fine) and i lost ALL POWER.. Lights started flickering and truck died lights went out and lost power steering and brakes. Belt squiled a litlle and heard a scrapin sound maybe metal to metal sound and that was all she wrote.. It wouldnt even try to turn over.. NEED HELP THANKS

[lctmjw]

Would need a little more info.. When you say it won't turn over, you mean when you hit the key it won't crank at all? What do you mean exactly by 'lights started flickering' and 'lights went out', headlights, instrument indicator lights? If the engine isn't running (or if the belt suddenly snaps, or if the pump seizes) you'll lose power steering; if the engine isn't running, no vacuum is developed hence no power brakes. I would take an early guess that something in the timing gear/chain area failed, but that's presumptuous without more information.

[PEZi]

Sounds to me like something grounded out... hard. More info is needed, as said, however.

[walters844x4]

well when i was driving i started to hear a loud growling scratching noise and lost almost all acceleration pedal fell on its face, then the headlights went dim then started to flicker. heard the belt start to squeal and lost power steering, bakes, and my dash gauge cluster dosent work for some reason.then i tried to turn the key and nothing nosound not even trying to start. lights would not turn on just strait dead in the water. thanks

[lctmjw]

Have you had a peek under the hood yet? What condition is the battery, is it currently holding a charge?

[walters844x4]

When the jumper cables are connected lights come on and truck clicks but doesn't turnover. As soon as you take the jumper cables off everything is dead again.

[walters844x4]

Sittin on the side of the road right now, waiting for a tow truck. Is there anything I can do to check without a volt meter? And where is the starter solenoid?

[lctmjw]

At a glance, it sounds as though your battery is stone dead; perhaps your alternator hasn't been charging the battery, and you were driving on battery alone until it died. Which, given the severity of your symptoms would be a best case scenario. Not too much you can check without a voltmeter that I can think of, you 'could' jump the starter directly since you have cables, but I wouldn't try to. I would get it somewhere and diagnose what's going on before attempting to start it. If your alternator is functioning correctly, you wouldn't have lost electrical power while the engine is running, regardless of the battery condition, unless something grounded out or shorted. Does anything under the hood look amiss?

[walters844x4]

everything visually looked ok.. i borrowed a volt meter and put it on the battery and it read .100 vdc.. i removed the battery cables and redid my test and the battery w no cables on it read 6.9 vdc. i found a battery lying around that had 11 vdc and put it on the truck and it read 9.6vdc a few mins later but my headlights were on when i put the battery back in for a few mins too(didnt realize it) waiting for weather to pass so i can try cranking it.. so do you think the altenator is shot since my battery drained so quick.. and its only a two month old battery also. prob going to take the altenator off and battery down to the partshouse for them to test them unless i can test the altenator with the volt meter. hopefully it will stop raining soon

[walters844x4]

also if my altenator is working properly and my battery reads 9.6 vdc then after driving it for a period of time it should charge it back to somewhere around twelve vdc correct??

[walters844x4]

when i turn the key with the battery with 11 vdc it clicks but does not try to turn over at all was wondering if there was a starter selnoid and if so were it would be to thanks

[lctmjw]

You can test output voltage of the alternator while the engine is running with the voltmeter, but it won't tell the whole story necessarily. Your initial reading of a tenth of a volt certainly indicates that the battery is indeed dead, and is likely the cause of the truck quitting on you. If you have a battery with a known good charge (12v or so), tighten it up and start the truck with it. Check the voltage at the battery terminals while the truck is running, should be in the neighborhood of 14v. Disconnect the negative battery cable; the truck should continue to run fine since the battery is really only there to start the truck, the alternator provides plenty of amperage to fire the plugs, run lights, accessories, and keep the battery topped off. If the truck quits running with the negative cable removed, something is wrong in the charging system somewhere. Perhaps the alternator, perhaps rectifier, perhaps voltage regulator, a bad ground, etc. Check it out, we can go from there.

[lctmjw]

To answer your questions about a solenoid.. It's been a while, but if I remember correctly, these truck don't use a traditional off the shelf type solenoid like some others, but more of a low voltage relay that powers a magnetic switch on the starter (this is what engages the shaft and pinion of the starter motor). There's a fusible link in the circuit too, but if you're hearing the rapid clicking sound of the relay, then you know the fusible link is good. It's important to conduct these tests with a known good battery, meaning not one out of the shed that still shows a few volts. Starter motors really discharge a battery quick, and a weak one that shows 11v with a meter under no load may be enough to trigger a relay, but not provide enough juice to the mag switch and starter motor.

[walters844x4]

Going to install fully charged battery that was checked and deemed good and new altenator should be in tomm going to clean all connections and see what happens.. Want to say thanks for all the help also will post results tomm!

[lctmjw]

Sounds good, let us know!

[walters844x4]

Turn key and only get a clicking sound.. I guess next step is to remove the starter and have it tested really need to figure it out by tomm evening

[lctmjw]

If you're hearing the relay clicking sound and you're positive that all connections are intact and not terribly corroded and the battery is in prime condition, then it's likely that the magnetic switch or the starter motor is bad. Try jumping the stater directly, take your jumper cables and connect the (+) end to terminal M on the starter motor, and the (-) end to the starter body. Wear eye protection as sparks may fly about, but it isn't unsafe or bad for the truck. If the starter engages then the magnetic switch is probably the culprit. If it doesn't engage, then the starter motor is probably in need of a coil or brushes (shot).

[breadbox]

double check you have the line of the fusible link to charge the battery. and that the line is okay.

[walters844x4]

Ok guys shes back on the road again. She has a new battery, altenator and starter.. Altenator wasnt charging and the bearings were getting loud and pulley had a little play(new w liftime warranty), starter is reman( w liftime warranty also), and battery was low due to alt (tested good and charged) now to do the tune up i was going to do that weekend.. Want to say thanks to everyone that helped and shared there knowledge w me it is much apprciated.. Maybe i can help someone in the future with the same problems.. On the road again