Starter problems

[bd]

There are no ground wires that connect to the starter solenoid. 

Referring to your image: the 3/8" stud is home to the battery positive cable and two 6-inch long, 16-gauge fusible links that feed power through 12-gauge red wires to the cab and charging system; the single 14-gauge purple wire that's all taped up and connected to the #10 stud on the right is the circuit that energizes the solenoid to engage the starter.  Without making voltage drop tests to verify, you probably have low voltage reaching the starter due to an imperfect ground or low voltage to the solenoid from the ignition switch and neutral safety switch via the taped 'purple' wire.

Since you've already replaced the battery positive cable, go ahead and replace the battery-to-engine ground cab as well, using 2-gauge copper cable.  Be sure to thoroughly clean the cable attachment point to the engine.  If the ground cable attaches to the alternator bracket rather than directly to the engine block, make sure the bracket connection to the block is also clean and tight.

Low voltage to the solenoid generally results from an accumulation of poor connections between the 3/8" solenoid stud and the firewall bulkhead connector, or problems with the ignition switch or neutral safety switch.  If problems persist after servicing the ground, you'll need to rebuild the feed wires that run between the 3/8" starter stud and the bulkhead connector.

If you have a voltmeter, you can run voltage drop tests and isolate the source of any low voltage before making further repairs to help focus your repair and minimize the repair cost.

[Chadwick717]

Ok thanks for the help bd. I'll replace my ground.  One small thing though, My ground from the battery goes to the frame, not the engine.  Is this ok?  Every time it won't start I wait ten minutes or so and it starts right up.

[VileZambonie]

No It's not OK. You need to attach it to the engine. You should also have a ground cable from the engine to the body, body to frame etc

[Chadwick717]

I have a ground cable from the engine to the body, but I guess I'll have to change the ground from the battery to frame, to from the battery to the engine.  Is there a good place to attach the battery to engine ground on the motor? Thanks for all the help.

[rich weyand]

There are four things that need to be connected -- battery ground, engine, frame, and cab -- so it takes three wires.  The heaviest load is from the starter, on the engine, so the battery ground must be connected directly to the engine.  The frame and cab are lighter loads and use smaller wire to connect to the engine.  This is likely your problem if your heavy ground cable is connected to the frame, and then you have the normal small connection from the frame to the engine.  All that starter current has to go through that small wire, and sometimes the magic works and sometimes it doesn't.

From the battery to the engine.  Follow the wire from the lower left of the pic to the top of the alternator bracket.



From the engine to the cab.



From the engine to the frame.

[roundhouse]

You have headers ?
Or stock manifolds ?

[Irish_Alley]

i have three ground on each of my trucks (between the engine and battery). one battery to frame, one battery to alt bracket and the last one back of passengers head to firewall. never have i seen one from the power steering pump to the frame BUT it wont hurt to have extra grounds.

[rich weyand]

Interesting.  It looks original.  I certainly didn't add it.  I also have one from the battery ground to the frame, on the radiator cross member near the battery.  And you're right.  Should be no need for one of those two.

[Chadwick717]

I have stock manifolds.

[Chadwick717]

So I could leave the battery to frame ground and just add a battery to block?

[rich weyand]

Yes, more doesn't hurt anything.  But you need a high-current-capable connection from the battery ground to the block or alternator bracket.  It should be just as heavy as the positive starter cable, and clamp directly to the battery.

[bd]

To reiterate what's been stated in other threads - the radiator support should have a ~12-gauge dedicated ground, the right frame rail should have a ~12-gauge dedicated ground, the cab-to-engine should have a ~12-gauge dedicated ground, and the engine block should have the 2-gauge battery primary ground.  Some vehicles had a redundant engine-to-left frame rail ground.  (10-gauge wire or 5/16" braided strap can substitute for some of the '12-gauge' grounds).

Why so many ground connections?  Because frame members are bolted together and can loosen with use, degrading the ground pathways.  By connecting the various major frame members with ground jumpers, everything functions over the long run.

[rich weyand]

And the cab, engine and frame rails need to be separately grounded to the battery or each other because the rubber engine mounts and rubber cab mounts are insulating.

[Chadwick717]

Ok..I think I got it.  Where again on my engine block is a good place to ground from the battery, besides the alternator bracket

[bd]

Any unused bolthole on the front of the right (passenger side) cylinder head.