Ram 6.7 no start

[M_R_E_]

"16 Ram 6.7 returned towing from Florida. Unhooked, Parked in the garage and a few days later I was going to go for an oil change and it won't start. All it does is click. I have power and the batteries check okay. I can't figure out what is wrong.

[Cummins12V98]

M.R.E. wrote:
Tried jumping to start, still just one click. I think it must be a fuse.
Power to every thing else.

Load test both separately and report back.

[Grit_dog]

Krusty wrote:
Connect a volt meter to one of the batteries. What does it read? Now watch it while trying to crank the engine over. What does it read now?

Even easier just pull up the voltage reading on the dash display. . Even without cranking the starter or grid heater it was reading 10 and 11 v.

[Horsedoc]

Betting battery. I have a '17 very few miles and used very little. Same thing. Showed power but would not turn over. took it to the dealer and they put one in. Parts store would have done it for half that, but I didn't know it was battery.

[opnspaces]

In days of old a single click was a sign of a bad starter solenoid and a multiple click was a sign of a bad battery.

I agree with putting a meter on the battery and see what it reads when somebody else tries to start it. Being a diesel do the test twice once for each battery.

[Krusty]

Connect a volt meter to one of the batteries. What does it read? Now watch it while trying to crank the engine over. What does it read now?

[Grit_dog]

Ok…but
And presuming you put enough juice to it to start….
If it’s the solenoid clicking then the starter solenoid fuse is good.
Pretty sure there isn’t a fuse on the starter + cable.
But you could always actually check the batteries health….still likely batteries.

These engines will start (in warm weather at least) with one good battery, fwiw. But not if one is trying to kill the other.

[M_R_E_]

Tried jumping to start, still just one click. I think it must be a fuse.
Power to every thing else.

[larry_barnhart]

In the old days if the head lights came on and went out as you tried to start the engine it was the battery. cleaning the terminal's sometimes fixed the problem or new battery was the fix. because of my wife's heart issues new batteries were purchased in the later years.

chevman

[Cummins12V98]

I guarantee it's the batteries!!! It's always the batteries on the newer RAM's. Be happy you made it that many years.

[way2roll]

Had this happen on my brand new F350. Dealership said the batteries were fine but when I isolated them individually, one was actually bad. You can't get a good test unless they are isolated. And if there isn't enough amps the ECM will not allow it to start. In my case the brand new batteries were leaking and it was a known defect. But your batts are old enough to probably just be worn out.

[FishOnOne]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

M.R.E. wrote:
It only clicks one time. Battery connections are good . Checked batteries with volt meter. Original batteries, 48000 miles. Why would it go dead right away if it was batteries ?

Your 7 YO batteries are toast IMHO. The only true way to tell is with a mechanical load tester or electronic load tester.

The last 4 batteries I have bought for my truck were good one day and bad the next. One time caught me on vacation. 😮 They used to give you warning but not the batteries of today or the trucks of today. I "think" it's because of the duel batteries in the trucks I have?

BTW I just replaced a 5 month old battery at work. NCNS. Battery dead flat. I charged it up to 12.7 Volts. I thought oh, that's good. Then I did my due diligence and it failed miserably under an electronic load test.

This is good advice...

[spoon059]

I'm with turtle. I think your batteries are done. I have a 2015 with the 6.7 and my batteries went out about this time last year. These engines require a good amount of current to push them, especially if its a little chilly out. Try jumping from another truck and seeing if it starts. That way you'll know for sure... but I'd bet $1 its a battery.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

M.R.E. wrote:
It only clicks one time. Battery connections are good . Checked batteries with volt meter. Original batteries, 48000 miles. Why would it go dead right away if it was batteries ?

Your 7 YO batteries are toast IMHO. The only true way to tell is with a mechanical load tester or electronic load tester.

The last 4 batteries I have bought for my truck were good one day and bad the next. One time caught me on vacation. 😮 They used to give you warning but not the batteries of today or the trucks of today. I "think" it's because of the duel batteries in the trucks I have?

BTW I just replaced a 5 month old battery at work. NCNS. Battery dead flat. I charged it up to 12.7 Volts. I thought oh, that's good. Then I did my due diligence and it failed miserably under an electronic load test.

[Grit_dog]

womps wrote:
If you boost it and it starts it’s the batteries.

Yeah if you’re not diy or don’t have another car, it’ll run if you jump start it. Just don’t turn it off until you have the new batteries or ability to jump it again.

[Grit_dog]

M.R.E. wrote:
It only clicks one time. Battery connections are good . Checked batteries with volt meter. Original batteries, 48000 miles. Why would it go dead right away if it was batteries ?

Because that’s what they do. One or both get weaker until the ECM shuts it down. It won’t just crank “slow” if weak batteries, like an old car.
If you’re observant, you likely felt it cranking a “bit” slower but otherwise unaffected.
Original 7-8 year old batteries and especially not driven much…it’s your batteries.

Original 100k mile 2016 Ram batteries. Few months ago, knew they were weak. Somehow they made it thru a short winter trip with below zero AM cold starts.
Bout 3 days after returning to warmer weather they still worked and then no worky the next morning.
Fwiw I found a great price on Delco AGMs on Amazon iirc. But whatever, you need batteries. And that’s all.