navygz19 Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 This is interesting... I've stopped driving the Pathy recently because of the recent rise in gas prices, so it's been sitting a lot more than usual, sometimes for 2-3 days at a time without being driven. However, the past few times I've gone to start it up I can't even get it to crank; the only sound I get when the key is turned is that very high speed ticking sound, reminiscent of what it sounds like when attempting to crank with a dead battery. The first time this happened in the morning, I let it sit for a few hours, came back and it started right up like it always does w/o any laboring or slowed crank speed. Two days ago, I drove it to the supermarket, parked, shopped, came back out and it was dead again. This was the last time it was driven. When it died at the supermarket, I initially thought it was the starter binding, and it needed to be tapped with a hammer, because when I had my wife try to crank it briefly I could narrow the sound I got to the bottom of the engine, towards the passenger side near the transmission which is where I *think* the starter is. However, upon opening the hood to try and narrow it down through there, when she cranked it THAT time, it turned right over with 2 cycles. The truck drives just fine when it's running, no hesitation in acceleration, no battery/brake/etc. lights that I'd ordinarily get with a dying alternator (nor does the battery die when it's not driven) the battery is 2 years old and when it won't turn over and all that's heard is that very fast-paced ticking sound, the gauges all do a bit of a jump and all warning lights illuminate, then extinguish when I stop cranking. I'm leaning towards starter, seeing as I know the alternator's fine and the battery's charged...I even cleaned the terminals meticulously to ensure a good connection, as I also thought it might be a voltage issue. Any thoughts? Please help! '02 Pathy, 84K miles, etc. etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
projekz Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Check your ground wires. It happened to me and it was a bad ground wire...can't remember which one. They tend to get oxidized or just loose. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navygz19 Posted July 15, 2007 Author Share Posted July 15, 2007 There's a million ground wires to be checking...engine bay? under the dash? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 He means clean the corrosion off the battery terminals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
projekz Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 It was the ground wire between the engine and the body I believe! Not sure thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Could just be poor connections on the starter, or the starter is gone. The cheapest fix is to check the wiring first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navygz19 Posted July 15, 2007 Author Share Posted July 15, 2007 (edited) Could just be poor connections on the starter, or the starter is gone. The cheapest fix is to check the wiring first. That's what I was thinking. I'm troubleshooting by starting with the most basic possibility and working my way up from there. But is it normal for a starter to only have a 5 year lifespan? I myself have taken it through some very deep ruts and lot's of water and mud, and can't say I've ever specifically gone underneath to make sure I sprayed off my starter when cleaning up after a run. But I also know prior to me owning it (I bought it in January of last year) it was a northern New Jersey vehicle, thus exposing it to snow and road salt. I thought starters were supposed to be sealed pretty well... Edited July 15, 2007 by navygz19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 By design, starters are unsealed. They need a drain hole for water entry. So...mud and salt could feasibly kill the brushes/commutator, etc internally over 5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NismoSkyZ Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 I'm betting on the starter from said story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csutke Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 ditto on the starter thats how mine sounded on my old blazer before it totally crapped out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navygz19 Posted July 16, 2007 Author Share Posted July 16, 2007 By the looks of it now, it was severe corrosion on the battery terminals that caused the issue. By the sound I got when it wouldn't crank, I was thinking in the back of my mind it could have been voltage related. They're nice and clean now and wire-brushed and the issue *appears* to have gone away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaKaNa Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Sounds like what was happening to me... I'd get a weak crank, then it'd give up, and I would have to let it sit for some time before I could actually get it to start... it worked for a couple weeks like that, then the DAY I got lifted, I parked in front of my house, went to start it again, COMPLETELY dead.... hitting it with a hammer (which is nearly impossible on R50s) only got a very weak crank... Got a new started put in, and it starts faster than any other vehicle I've ever seen. New starter + Optima = beautiful combination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnakeS Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 could be the solenoid in the starter not moving out into the crank or not lining up properly. Sometime if when the brake is applied shift from park to neutral and back to move the teeth ever so slightly and align the the solenoid. Also the wire connection on the starter tend to deteriorate quickly being near the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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