70 6 cylinder no start

[70 shorty]

I've got 12.2 volts at the battery, and also at the cable to the starter. I get a click when I hit the key. I've chased an intermittent no start for years and I'm sure it's electrical. If I take the cables off the battery and clean them and the small junction on the passenger fender and clean that, it pretty much always works, but neither are rusty and both look clean. How about the voltage regulator? Would that have anything to do with this? My aftermarket dash voltmeter bounces crazily back and forth while I'm driving sometimes. Any suggestions yall have would be appreciated.

[wixthedog]

The erratic gauge makes it seem like a poor ground. Check the Neg to alternator bracket, engine to frame, and cab to frame connections.

[70 shorty]

Originally Posted by wixthedog

The erratic gauge makes it seem like a poor ground. Check the Neg to alternator bracket, engine to frame, and cab to frame connections.

thanks. I'll give these a look. Where is the cab grounded to the frame? That's one I know I haven't looked at, and could very well be the problem. There's definitely some rust in my truck.

[wixthedog]

Normally not too hard to find as it usually attaches directly to the frame. If you can't find it it may not be there, which happens from time to time.

[70 shorty]

Not surprising, just for s & g's I put my battery charger on it it made no difference, other than the battery was showing 13.1 volts as opposed to 12.2. Haven't touched any grounds or connections yet. I'll mess with them this afternoon. When I hit the key, it just clicked just like before.

[Getter-Done]

Originally Posted by 70 shorty

thanks. I'll give these a look. Where is the cab grounded to the frame? That's one I know I haven't looked at, and could very well be the problem. There's definitely some rust in my truck.

Here is 2 pictures of a truck I seen at a Show of the cab ground strap.
It was a good restoration.
















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.

[Andy4639]

Take your jumper cables and hook just the ground up(ONLY THE GROUND CABLE) to the battery and the other end to the cab some place good and see if it starts. Quick way to tell.

[Dead Parrot]

Sometimes cables and/or ends just go bad. I had a negative cable that despite being clean would often just spark and loose connection to the battery post. Wiggle it a bit and it would remake the connection. No amount of cleaning or maiming with large pliers would permanently fix it. Replaced cable, no more problem.

If some or all of your wiring is original, it is about 50 years old. Suspect every piece of wire and every connection until proven good. A wire can look great and be a mess of corrosion under the insulation.

[70 shorty]

Dead Parrot, I think you're on to something and I was thinking along the same lines. I think I'll replace both battery cables. I took the cables loose at the battery, all looked clean and shiny, bu I hit them with a wire brush anyway, then took the main battery ground loose from the engine and cleaned that even though it didn't look bad either. It fired right up and I've been driving it all day. Many starts all day with no problem. That being said, I've done these exact steps before and had the truck running fine, and this was I'd say no more than 6 months ago, as opposed to say 5 years ago. Hence my thinking of starting with replacing the cables. Cheap and easy enough.