79 kc won't turn over

[eekpdx]

Help!

My 79 datsun won't turn over! Recently the temperature here in portland dropped below freezing and since then my little truck won't start. There is no clicking spun when the key is engaged at all. I'm guessing it's the battery or starter, possibly fuses? Just wondering if the cold and snow should be effecting this or recommendations on where to start trouble shooting.

Thanks

[Guest Rick-rat]

Check your battery terminals, check the voltage in the battery. Is it an old battery?  Did it start ok when it was warmer? The cold shouldn't affect it if the battery and starter are both OK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And please don't turn over your truck

[ggzilla]

> There is no clicking spun when the key is engaged at all

 

Battery connections. Clean the battery terminals AND the inside of the battery cables down to bare metal. Coat the shiny metal with a thing coat of grease or battery terminal spray. I use clean motor oil.

[jastrunk97]

The cold will make your battery not have the proper voltage. Put a multimeter (volt meter) on it and crank to see what you are reading. Also, check your fusible link coming off the positive side of your battery. 

[eekpdx]

Ya the truck was running like a little champ and then boom.. Nothin. I've been waiting for the ice to melt before I attack it. Any recommendations on cleaners?

[eekpdx]

Is there any possibility it could be a fuse problem?

[ggzilla]

Sure it could be a fuse. But far more common to be cable connections. They should be cleaned every 12 months, so start with that.

 

The cleaning tool I use is a flat screwdriver. But its easiest to use a battery cleaning brush.

 

[eekpdx]

Thanks. I'll get on that tomorrow. Thanks so much. I'll keep you posted.

[datzenmike]

All power to the truck goes through the fusible link. Honk horn or turn headlights on. If they work the fusible link is presumed to be ok.

 

There is no fuse between the battery and the ignition switch and then to the starter solenoid.

 

Get a boost from another car. Cleaning the terminals and cable ends including the ground connection on the head and the positive cable on the starter lug is always a good idea. Battery is likely just dead.

 

A battery will freeze and crack open the case easie,r if discharged. A charged battery won't freeze easily.

[eekpdx]

The lights turn on and the horn honks. Should I try the jump first and then the cleaning? Also no electrical was draining the battery before this problem happened, ie lights and radio were off. What would cause the battery to die? Also would it be visible I the battery froze and cracked?

[ggzilla]

Start with cleaning the terminals. Reason being, a jump may start the vehicle but doesn't fix the underlying cause.

 

Stop worrying - there are a hundred possible causes, but only three likely ones (slightly corroded connections, bad battery, or discharged battery).

[eekpdx]

Thanks all for your help. I cleaned the battery and then jumped it. Ran the engine for 30 minutes and all seems well. My big question now is how did the battery die! The lights weren't left on. Any thoughts? Also in my cleaning process I noticed my battery is from 08. Would it be a good idea to just buy a new battery? Thanks again for the help.

[datzenmike]

Dirty connections may have not allowed the alternator to recharge the battery the last time you used it. Battery voltage drops with temperature. A bad connection will not allow full voltage to the starter. There's 3 good reasons for a failed start. Short trips is a forth where there isn't enough charge time between starts.

 

 

Clean the connections and drive for at least 15 min to recharge what you took out to start.

[banzai510(hainz)]

to ck for a battery drain ck this vid out its simple using a test light.have everything off and door closes so the interior light dont come on.

 

about 40secs into vid.