Need some advice

[cloversfield]

Hi, my name is Corey. I'm 18 and going on 19. Recently I got my first ram. It's a 1991 Ram 1500 square body, V8 Engine, and had some work done to it. The wire situation is crazy on the inside and out. Fuse-box is so faded it's crazy. I've had a few problems with it since I got it but I'm learning as I go y'know? Anywho, last morning It wasn't starting but the lights on the dash, radio, and lights would work. Then after a second of turning the key, you would hear *click*. Loud. Very Loud. I don't know much about trucks or vehichles what so ever so I'm learning as I go. I figured off the top of my head, battery. It's the main source of everything in a truck. Before changing the battery I tested it, it was completely dead. So I changed it and made sure the connectors were stable and snug. Same as before, lights, radios and loud click. I have no idea what I am doing and the only other person who can help me is my father who went into surgery yesterday morning. Yep, yesterday was rough. I hope someone can help me solve this, I have no where else to go.

 

[Elvira]

If you had headlights and dash lights before, the battery must of had some power in it. The loud click you hear is the solenoid trying to engage the starter. You no doubt have a connection problem especially with all the wiring problems you said you had. You can try jumping the solenoid, at least to see if the starter works. Check cables, positive and negative for good connections. Being an older truck with less than great maintenance and poor condiotn of fuse block, you can look forward to electrical problems.

 

[Daw14]

The first thing you should do is purchase a service Manuel ,chiltons or a factory one if you can find it . This way you can have more info available when issues pop up . Also will help you learn about the truck in general .

 

[Bad Tiki]

After the new battery it could be as other said a bad connection somewhere (starter) or it could just be a bad starter/solenoid . A weak battery could have caused this to finally go.
Had the truck previously started okay?

 

[Dean2]

You now have a new battery, so you know you have full power. Trace the lead to the solenoid and the starter. Take an old screw driver and bridge between the two posts that come out of the solenoid. If the starter spins over you know the starter is good and that the issue is either the ground or hot lead to the solenoid. You may also have to check the two leads that come from your key to the solenoid. It is also possible the solenoid is shot, as bridging the terminals bypasses the actual solenoid.

Other thing is, the loud click is the solenoid engaging but it may not be getting enough juice to spin the starter. Other thing to check is if the starter is stuck, on a manual transmission leave it in fourth and push it forward or back a couple of feet. On an auto, give the starter a couple of good raps with a dead blow hammer.

Typical solenoid. Bridge the two large cooper terminals. Just so you are ready, it will make a large spark and probably leave a mark on the screw driver.

 

[Dean2]

OP, you do realise you are obligated to come back and tell us how you solved the problem. we always want to know if our remote diagnostics worked out.