Truck will not start only clicking noise

RCONNELL22

MEMBER
2005 RAM 2500
5.7L
V8
4WD
MANUAL
130,000 MILES

Engine will not turn over. Hearing a clicking noise when the power lead to the battery is connected. I unplugged the lead to the starter solenoid but not the ground and still hear this fast clicking. I cleaned off the lead to the battery as well as removing the solenoid and cleaning the connections on that. The clicking when the positive lead is connected does not sound like it is coming from the solenoid, it sounds like it is coming somewhere from the top right of the engine not the bottom. Where the solenoid is. What could be clicking with no key in the ignition with the positive battery lead connected?

Sunday, December 3rd, 2017 AT 12:04 PM

2 Replies

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,004 POSTS

Do you have a voltmeter?

Harbor freight has a decent digital one for about $5.00.

Check the battery voltage at the battery terminals.

If you have less than 12.5 volts, It ain't gonna crank.

I would suspect the clicking is maybe a circuit breaker. This is dragging the battery down.

Possibly some component shorted or "stuck" (wanting to move but cannot) an example being a power seat relay (stuck on) telling the seat to move back. The seat is at the end of its travel. It cannot move, the circuit overheats and the circuit breaker trips off and on over and over.

Return with results.

Maybe we can help.

The Medic

One of these below might help during diagnosis or in the future as well.

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