Monaco starting problem

[Ronbstewart]

1994 Monaco Executive, Cummins 8.3 C, 300. When key is turned to start position a loud click is heard, engine rotates about an inch and then nothing. If key is held in start position clicks come about 3 to 4 seconds apart as if a circuit breaker is cycling. Battery is new, pulled starter off and had it checked it is ok. Tried using a jumper across the solenoid, it engages, but engine still won't turn over. There is no problem with the engine. I'm positive its an electrical problem. Coach had been running fine. Stopped to fuel up and had this problem, kept turning the key off and on getting the click and it finally started,drove it home and no luck getting it started again. Don't know what else to check. Could it be the battery cables, they are tight and look ok?

[mahon1993]

You could have a bad ground cable to the engine. There is usually a cable or braded strap that goes from the engine to the frame. It could be loose. Put one end of a volt meter from the heavy 12 volt lug on the starter and the other to the engine and see what kind of volts you get when you try to start the engine. You will need some help to do this. Then go from the starter to a good frame ground and see what you get. If the engine ground is good you should get the same voltage reading that you got from the frame. If you have a bad engine ground the voltage will read way low, like 6 or 8 volts or so. Then look for a bad engine ground. That's where I would start. It's an easy enough thing to check.
If all is good with the engine ground I would then start looking for a bad battery connection. You know, if you had a bad ground at your starting battery, with the above test, you could get a low reading when checking voltage from the engine or the frame. Just because a battery connection looks "tight" dosen't mean that it's good. You can get corosion between the batery post and the terminal. It would't hurt to remove the cables and clean them with a battery cleaning tool.
Good luck,
Greg

[Robi.1014]

Agree with Greg as to a possible bad ground.

With hand held volt-meter leads being as short as they are, you can approach this troubleshooting another way if you like ... that of using jumper cables. For instance: using only the black jumper cable, connect one end of it on the engine block (a bolt head, for example), and the other end on the negative side of your new chassis battery. If the engine starts, you've confirmed Greg's assumption of a poor ground somewhere in the path.

You didn't mention attempting to use a "battery boost" switch while you're having this problem. Do you have one? If you do, it would be interesting to hear your results.

A final thought:
New batts can fail. When attempting to start the engine, take a voltage reading across the battery. Its voltage should not fall below 7 volts when grinding on the starter.

[Mike Canter]

Do what you are doing several times in trying to start it then stop and go back and put your hand on all the battery cable terminals and feel for heat. If no heat there then check the other end of the cables where they attach to either the starter motor or chassis ground. If there is a dirty or bad connection then that connection should heat up and that is the guilty party. Whatever terminal heated up then take it off and clean it. Get a special battery terminal wire brush and clean the INSIDE of the battery cable terminals until they shine of new looking lead. Check where the battery cable is attached to the terminal ends.

[Twomed]

And if all the above doesn't help...try jumping the ignition key switch. After 16 years it could be bad. Probably a GM like most of them. NAPA has the replacements, about $30.

[Mike Canter]

Twomed, normally that would be a great idea. The reason I didn't list the ignition switch circuit was that he jumped the solenoid at the starter and it still didn't work. That takes the switch out of the circuit. My initial writeup said exactly what you said.

[Twomed]

Not enough coffee yet Mike...you are 100%

[Mike Canter]

Lol, I guess I am a cup ahead of you this once.

[OLYLEN]

See no check on the solenoid itself. Starter good batteries good, good connections. Gotta be the solenoid. Unless they benched the solenoid with the starter.

LEN

[Ronbstewart]

You guys are awesome and right on. After a check out of the battery and starter revealed both to be working ok I elected to give the cables a serious check. I noticed some broken strands of copper at the crimped ends of the ground cable. Removed and took it to NAPA. Cost of cable and end connectors was just shy of $40. Had a local welding shop install the ends ($10) reinstalled it, turned the key and it cranked right up. I hadn't read yesterday and todays replies to my question, but they would have taken me down the same path I took. So thanks very much to all who replied, at 70 + years I don't get the same thrill I use to fighting with things like that starter, but it's all good and I'm off to bike week in Daytona this week end.

[mahon1993]

Glad we could help. Have a safe trip to Daytona. We are leaving for bike week on Friday. Should get there on Saturday.
Greg

[Ronbstewart]

I'm headed down Saturday morning for bike week also, wife and I drive straight thru. There's a small Church 2 blocks off Speedway and about 15 to 2o blocks down toward the water that allows myself and several other friends with coaches to park in the lot and connect to their water for just a donation, been doing it now for about 10 years. Have a good trip.