04 Suburban No Crank

[Pacfanweb]

Okay, hoping to shortcut this diag process.

04 Suburban Z71.  6.0 LQ9, but that is irrelevant to this issue. 

Wife's ride.

No crank.  Plenty of battery power, that's not the problem.

I know of the key cylinder issues.

 

However:  The starter relay clicks when you try and start it, but no sound at all from the starter.   I think if the relay is being activated, that means the key cylinder and wiring in there is good, right?

So if that is correct, I'm down to either the wiring from the relay to the starter, or the starter itself. 

 

There isn't much chance the wiring just suddenly died and no amount of tugging on it won't help, so I'm thinking starter.   

  I noticed there are 3 different identical relays in the under hood box, so I swapped them and it made no difference. 

Am I missing anything? 

 

[sefiroxx]

Use a meter and confirm 12 v for the primary wire and when trying to crank at the solenoid wire - at the starter. Then use a small jumper wire to put voltage on the solenoid from the primary wire.

[carnau]

22 hours ago, Pacfanweb said:

Okay, hoping to shortcut this diag process.

04 Suburban Z71.  6.0 LQ9, but that is irrelevant to this issue. 

Wife's ride.

No crank.  Plenty of battery power, that's not the problem.

I know of the key cylinder issues.

 

However:  The starter relay clicks when you try and start it, but no sound at all from the starter.   I think if the relay is being activated, that means the key cylinder and wiring in there is good, right?

So if that is correct, I'm down to either the wiring from the relay to the starter, or the starter itself. 

 

There isn't much chance the wiring just suddenly died and no amount of tugging on it won't help, so I'm thinking starter.   

  I noticed there are 3 different identical relays in the under hood box, so I swapped them and it made no difference. 

Am I missing anything? 

 

Jump terminal 30 to terminal 87 of the starter relay using a piece of wire. This will engage the starter.

 

Or, you can do it the right way and test the purple wire on the starter using a test light. If when cranked the test light illuminates, you know you have power going to the starter and the starter is the problem.

[Pacfanweb]

It started up the next morning.  So no diag is possible yet. 

 

I may just take a guess at the starter.  The relay clicked when you turn the key, so that tells me everything from the key cylinder to the relay is fine. 

 

So unless the wiring suddenly went bad with no warning from the relay to the starter, it's the starter.   Not sure I'm willing to risk having her stranded again when that's almost certainly it. 

[sefiroxx]

Had a similar problem with 04 Sierra. Would crank 90% of the time then nothing. Went through bsttery, key cylinder, ignition module, relay etc, etc, etc. Eventually replaced the starter. Works. Concluded that part of the wiring in the starter had gone bad so if bad sections line up with the brushes - dead.

[Pacfanweb]

On 3/1/2019 at 12:12 AM, sefiroxx said:

Had a similar problem with 04 Sierra. Would crank 90% of the time then nothing. Went through bsttery, key cylinder, ignition module, relay etc, etc, etc. Eventually replaced the starter. Works. Concluded that part of the wiring in the starter had gone bad so if bad sections line up with the brushes - dead.

Sort of what I was thinking.   Since the relay energizes when you turn the key, that eliminates everything from the key to the relay.  I eliminated the relay by swapping it with one of the other identical ones in the box.  So it's from there to the starter, and I didn't think the actual wire itself would just "go bad" without at least a symptom or two first.  

Got a starter ordered, be here tomorrow.  Not looking forward to that job. 

[Mardimus]

On 3/2/2019 at 8:33 AM, Pacfanweb said:

Sort of what I was thinking.   Since the relay energizes when you turn the key, that eliminates everything from the key to the relay.  I eliminated the relay by swapping it with one of the other identical ones in the box.  So it's from there to the starter, and I didn't think the actual wire itself would just "go bad" without at least a symptom or two first.  

Got a starter ordered, be here tomorrow.  Not looking forward to that job. 

Did this solve your issue, replacing the starter? I am having a similar issue with my 2009 GMC Yukon XL 5.3L.  Link: https://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/221199-2009-gmx-yukon-xl-slt-starting-issues/

[Pacfanweb]

On 3/19/2019 at 4:22 PM, Mardimus said:

Did this solve your issue, replacing the starter? I am having a similar issue with my 2009 GMC Yukon XL 5.3L.  Link: https://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/221199-2009-gmx-yukon-xl-slt-starting-issues/

Seems to have.  

[dtnel78]

Sort of what I was thinking.   Since the relay energizes when you turn the key, that eliminates everything from the key to the relay.  I eliminated the relay by swapping it with one of the other identical ones in the box.  So it's from there to the starter, and I didn't think the actual wire itself would just "go bad" without at least a symptom or two first.  

Got a starter ordered, be here tomorrow.  Not looking forward to that job. 

Come on starters aren't that bad unless.... you have oil leaks everywhere. I'm sure by now you've realized it wasn't that bad though. Did this solve your issue is more of what I've been wondering.

Had a similar issue with a 2000 Ford 4 cylinder 2.5 and it turned out to be the #3 piston cracked. Had stopped truck from running so even with power at the proper terminals I used the proper socket up front and manually made sure the motor would turn but you didn't mention a grinding noise before all this happened as the owner of the pickup said the engine made a clunk or grind noise as he couldn't recall. I myself thought it was his psychosis because of all the weed he smokes daily. Wasn't to bright just out driving around in -20 weather with -45 wind chills that night and thought I'd come get him by calling me which I didn't as it was 25 min from home at a minimum not counting warming the vehicle up and I don't have a tow truckm

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