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How To Start My Truck With a Bad Starter

Here we are going to discuss 10 DIY methods to start a truck with a bad starter. We have added all these methods in step by step guide.

How to start my truck with a bad starter? Check your loose connections of battery and engine then check starter cable. Look inside the starter for any corrosion spot and give it soft jerks from outside. A little initial push or jump-start to the truck can also help. Run the starter motor while examining the engine flywheel and try again all these processes one by one.

How to start my truck with a bad starter
How to start my truck with a bad starter?

How to start my truck with a bad starter?

There are multiple reasons for a bad starter and here we have explained the techniques to cure them. Start from the first and if it doesn’t work then proceed further.

Check loose battery connections

Battery connections work as a bridge to produce a spark as the result of turning on the ignition. Mostly when terminals of battery connections get loosened then they are not able to produce spark efficiently. This is because the acting bridge between the starter and the battery got affected and don’t have enough energy to transform the current.

Fasten these loosed terminals and if still they don’t work then check the positive cable. This cable has links with both starter and the alternator.

Try to link the positive cable directly with the battery and turn on the ignition. A direct connection can only be used once or twice to reach the destination but not set this as a permanent solution.

Examine engine ground connections

Any spoilage coming towards ground connections can affect the starter’s performance. The basic ground cable controls the wiring and current flow of the starter.

For the normal capacity of the flow of current ground, the connection must be free from all types of slags. Check its terminals first and tighten them if needed.

If the terminal connection is okay then go for basic cable operating conditions. Change it if needed with a simple wire of the same size and ampere.

Tilt it a little and check if there is a need to change it. This cable does not start from the battery but it works to connect and control transmission from other body parts too.

Regular attention is needed for the proper working of this cable to avoid any mishappening.

Rusting inside the starter

Sometimes from the reactions occurring inside the battery or any reactive foreign substance when falls upon cable line/terminal, it can cause corrosion of any type.

This corrosion can minimize the current passing through the cable. To tackle this issue, cover the whole alignment of cable and terminal heads to stop acid particle involvement. 

If rusting occurs then clean the terminals with little hot but pure water. Then prepare a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and wash the terminals with it.

If there is corrosion in any other engine parts also wash them for better precautions. Do special care for the solenoid connector of the starter and engine ground cable.   

Wire condition of the starter

The wire inside the starter is circular and known as a solenoid. It is responsible to connect the starter with the gears of the ring to work on ground wires and other current transformations.

If on turning on the ignition it produces a clinking sound that means the solenoid is damaged. Rusting can also happen inside it, you can try the same procedure for that as explained above.

To cure this problem, take a little 12V cable and connect one side with the battery and the other at the mid of the solenoid connection and starter.

If again you hear a cranking sound of click that means the attached connection is fit to work with the starter.

Soft jerks to the starter

A typical method used to fix electric things is to jerk off or thump them softly. Jerks help to active the dead spots produced inside the starter to be alive again. Most times it works and tends to rotate the armature again.

You cannot try this technique to the latest models because engines used there are of a longitudinal type and it’s difficult to detect the starter there. By the way, it is recommended to use a lightweight tool so that it doesn’t hurt any other parts.

Initial force

This technique only works with manual gearbox trucks. But you can try this even at a full low battery. All you have to do is to put the car in low gear and force with the help of some other persons to drive the car. Release the clutch at a reasonable pace to provide enough jerk.

This jerk provides a connection to catch power and start working. This initial push works on the same mechanism of providing a prime mover to the battery as in the same case for some typical manual engines.

Jumpstart the truck

In the same jerks provide life to dead spots, jump starters do the same. A jump starter is a tool that provides an immediate connection between batteries to the starter to run automatic ignition. Personally, I am using this Jumpstarter for my own Ford F150 which I bought from Amazon. I will get some commission if you will buy it from my affiliate link.

A little battery of few amperes would be enough to take a good start. But if the initial few jerks don’t work, that means you have lost your few amperes too.

The connecting flywheel of the engine

Must check the flywheel of engine mostly it can be the reason for a bad start. It is a large wheel that connects the engine and current transmission. During the cranking function of the starter gear, it connects itself to the starter gear. Sometimes we have to provide it a prime move or initial push to start the work.  

Check run the starter motor

To check starter’s motor must run it at some mechanic shop and you can do it free of cost. In this way, some kinds of surety come to mind that things are working properly. If the starter motor doesn’t do work that means you have to change it as a whole.

Ignition switch

A rare case may be that your ignition switch defected and stop working. You can check the ignition switch by putting a thin tester in it and check whether the current coming into it or not.

If current coming that means there is a fault in the switch. That means to buy an alternative switch but mostly they never run out throughout the vehicle’s life span.

Final words

We have discussed 10 possible ways to start a truck with a bad starter in this article. All the above-mentioned methods are tested by our expert team before publication. You can try any method to start your truck with a bad starter according to the condition.

If you have any other issue with your pickup truck, you can ask our expert via comment box and we will publish a detailed solution on our website howtruck as soon as possible.

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