thought the -5 temps did in my only 3 year old battery. used a charger on it to start it and after running the engine for an hour, then parked for 5, dead again. getting a jump with cables started it. this morning even with the charger on for an hour, all I get is a clunk that sounds like the starter? maybe a solenoid? So I got a brand new battery and still all I get is that clunk sound. no corrosion on the battery cables/terminals. all the lights and power are fine.
thoughts/ideas?

btw, although it says my join date is august 2005, I actually joined this site in august 2000 just before buying my brand new 2001 that October.
it's been a while guys (and maybe some gals?)

 

You might check the connections on the starter. If they look good you could trying jumping the large and small connections together briefly. Make sure the truck is in park or neutral before doing this. If still no joy you might try tapping on the starter with a hammer.

 

temps were a balmy 34 today when I went out to trouble shoot. started right up and again several more times. could it have literally been frozen? I was banging on starters in the 70's. Has the technology not changed that this high tech method still works?Single digit temps coming again Tues. so we shall see.

 

Banging still works(makes worn brushes or commutator make contact). If problem recurs a volt drop test will pinpoint problem. I have seen lots of vehicles(especially Fords) that actually develop corrosion where starter mounts and between bolts and bellhousing. No ground no start. If volt drop leads to starter ground just loosen then retighten bolts. It really does work.

 

another 8 degree day another no start. came out of work last night and no go. went back in, cursed a lot, went out and it started. This morning won't start again. banged on the starter and the wires and nothing. Not working under ideal conditions to trouble shoot with the temp, winds and a foot of snow trying to crawl under the truck. the "thud" I'm hearing isn't actually the starter however. its coming from inside the dash. (edit) the thud sound could be inside the engine compartment on the firewall. hard to tell.)

 

Are you sure that thud isn't coming from the relay on the engine side of the firewall?

I would try bridging the two bottom posts on that relay with something metal or a jumper wire and see if the engine will crank over. If that doesn't work go direct to the starter and bridge the large and the small connections on the starter. Be cautious, if you have a manual transmission make sure it's in neutral.

 

thanks massey. I did think of that relay after the fact but had to get to work before spending more time with it. I know sitting in the truck the relay is over to the passenger side and this thud seems to be coming dead center. I need to have someone turn the key while i'm under the hood. The starter is in a tough spot even just to bang with a hammer. and again, working conditions this morning in the driveway sucked.

 

I'm revisiting this issue a year later. Apparently my hunch that something is frozen is correct. Literally frozen. The truck starts fine no matter how cold it gets in dry conditions. But if i've driven in snow or slush and it's below freezing, something that is getting wet freezes and truck won't start. Drove in wet slush conditions yesterday in freezing weather and sure enough this morning no start. So I set up my propane heater blowing under the truck and about 10 minutes later it starts. It has to be the starter but has anyone else had this issue? where could water be pooling and freeze to cause this?