So, I have a beater '95 Nissan Hardbody pickup. 2.4l, manual transmission, 2wd, king cab.
Late last week I drove about a mile and a half to a store, and when I went to leave it wouldn't start. I did get some kind of an odd sensation first time I tried, but it was so fleeting that I really couldn't quantify what it was. Subsequent restart attempts resulted in a single loud click/clunk from the vicinity of the starter, but no spin. I attempted to reposition the flywheel by getting the truck rolling slightly under sneaker power then putting it into fifth, no change. My wife shows up, we attempt to jump it, no start. We finally hook it to her car with a strap and roll-start it, and I drive home the mile and a half.
When I get home and back it into the workshop I shut it off and attempt to start it. Same symptom as before, loud click/clunk type noise, no rev.
I've already replaced the starter, the battery, the relay that allows power to the starter once the clutch is pushed in, and I've reterminated the battery-end of the negative battery cable, which had corroded about 2" from the connector. I shortened it and put it into a new end. So, the truck's no-start really caught me by surprise given what I've done to attempt to get this thing to start reliably.
Today, because I have the possibility of help this weekend, I went out to consider if I wanted to rearrange the workshop to make working on it easier. For kicks I put the key in, push the clutch pedal down, and turn the key, and it fires right up. No weird delay, nothing.
The shop is climate controlled, but I only cool to 86°F when I'm not out there so that my tool batteries and other things don't die in the heat.
Any suggestions for what to try next would be much appreciated. I did keep the old starter so I can immediately swap it back, and I have some heavy-gauge stranded wire and ends so that I could change the battery cables if necessary, plus I have at least one battery cable kit too. I'd rather start with something logical though, if anyone has insight into how to diagnose this.
Late last week I drove about a mile and a half to a store, and when I went to leave it wouldn't start. I did get some kind of an odd sensation first time I tried, but it was so fleeting that I really couldn't quantify what it was. Subsequent restart attempts resulted in a single loud click/clunk from the vicinity of the starter, but no spin. I attempted to reposition the flywheel by getting the truck rolling slightly under sneaker power then putting it into fifth, no change. My wife shows up, we attempt to jump it, no start. We finally hook it to her car with a strap and roll-start it, and I drive home the mile and a half.
When I get home and back it into the workshop I shut it off and attempt to start it. Same symptom as before, loud click/clunk type noise, no rev.
I've already replaced the starter, the battery, the relay that allows power to the starter once the clutch is pushed in, and I've reterminated the battery-end of the negative battery cable, which had corroded about 2" from the connector. I shortened it and put it into a new end. So, the truck's no-start really caught me by surprise given what I've done to attempt to get this thing to start reliably.
Today, because I have the possibility of help this weekend, I went out to consider if I wanted to rearrange the workshop to make working on it easier. For kicks I put the key in, push the clutch pedal down, and turn the key, and it fires right up. No weird delay, nothing.
The shop is climate controlled, but I only cool to 86°F when I'm not out there so that my tool batteries and other things don't die in the heat.
Any suggestions for what to try next would be much appreciated. I did keep the old starter so I can immediately swap it back, and I have some heavy-gauge stranded wire and ends so that I could change the battery cables if necessary, plus I have at least one battery cable kit too. I'd rather start with something logical though, if anyone has insight into how to diagnose this.