Alternator or Starter

[Judydog72]

I ask because I need to battery cables that being said. I never know if it's going to start or not. I turn the key everything lights up,radio comes on,windows and wipers workers just won't turn over. I thought the battery was dead 3 days ago got a jump and it's been fine even did a errand and then came out to go to work it wouldn't turn over?

 

[Turdle]

If you think the battery connectors or cables are bad, that is your issue. These trucks need perfect posts and cables

 

[Akexplod95]

I ask because I need to battery cables that being said. I never know if it's going to start or not. I turn the key everything lights up,radio comes on,windows and wipers workers just won't turn over. I thought the battery was dead 3 days ago got a jump and it's been fine even did a errand and then came out to go to work it wouldn't turn over?

Check that starter solenoid, mine is bad, similar issues. Take a screw driver and go across the two screw heads simultaneously,

 

[J_C]

When it won't start, I'd measure the voltage on the battery posts (not the cable clamps, yet), both before and during cranking. Before, voltage should be up around 12.6V or higher. If it's not, you may have a bad alternator but put the battery on a charger to see if it takes and holds a charge for a few hours after the charger is disconnected.

A bad alternator could fail to charge the battery fully (if at all) or leaky diodes could cause it to drain the battery when the engine isn't running.

If the battery voltage is good, measure the battery post voltage while you attempt to crank the engine. If it stays high, now measure voltage on the battery clamps while trying to crank, to see if you have a voltage drop across that connection. If the voltage drops terribly while cranking or attempting to, the battery may be bad

If you've gotten this far and everything seems good, how bad are the battery cables? You can check what the voltage is at the starter when you short the solenoid contacts to try to crank it.

 

[Turdle]

I don't think 98 has a fender mounted solenoid, rather it has a relay in the power distribution box.

 

[J_C]

^ Fender? It's on the starter.

Shorting it bypasses the relay, so you don't need a helper using the key to crank while you're under there measuring voltage.

I probably stated it wrong about the screws (need more sleep), the battery cable gets shorted to the (yellow/light-blue?) wire contact on the starter.

 

[C420sailor]

how old is the battery?