Non starter...Battery?

[spark]

Typical, need the car and it wont start.......

when I turn the key i can hear the fuel pump whirr and the starter relay click but nothing else,

I turned the headlights on and turned the key and they remained bright!

The wife suggested trying a jump.. WAHAY...off her car...BOOO, silly suggestion I said but to keep her happy tried it, IT WORKED (never gonna hear the end of that lol)

all was well but after a ride out, nuffin again!

I have measured the voltage at the battery = 12.25V

Wikepedia says this is 50% charged so surely all should be well....shouldn't it??

I've checked all connections but cannot get under the car as yet, any thoughts..........

 

[Blee1099]

Sounds like it.. Get a jump start and check the voltage. If its below 13 then its the battery.. another way to tell but not recommended is to pull the negative terminal cable off the battery. If the engine dies right there than the alternator,

 

[spark]

Thanks Blee1099,

I checked after jump starting and the battery voltage was at 14.5V with the engine running so I am assuming the alternator is ok, still change the battery?

I was confused that the lights wern't dimming when trying to start, anyone know why not?

 

[swampyrbs]

have you checked condition of battery acid levels ,mine when left for a day wouldnt start with the same click click u have.i have since topped up as it was below half ,

 

[kevin p]

If it started ok with a jump start, then logically it must be the battery mate.
Puzzled about the headlights staying bright though!
Are your battery terminals clean and tight? If not they might be making enough contact to power the solenoid but not the starter.
Or the solenoid itself might be duff, not sliding enough to make the starter contacts.
If you can, try a good known battery first.
Kev.

 

[kernowman]

I tend to agree with Kev regarding good connection on the terminals. When you put jump leads on the current from the second battery goes straight to the solenoid/starter. If you have dirty terminals you will not get a full current flow. Headlights a bit strange, but if the starter is taking no load, there may still be a good enough connection to keep them bright. Good luck - worth a try - anything is better than forking out for a new battery.
Richard

 

[wetdog]

mornin bud,
i have had this in the past on other cars and 9 out of 10 its the connections at the starter motor, either corroded or slack.
remove all connections, clean and re-fit.
this should sort it. the lights stayed bright because the battery is good, but your car failed as the huge amount of voltage needed to stert the truck wasnt getting through. the addition of a second battery just upped your power leading to a start.

mick.