Grrrrrr

[bimaldo]

Greetings
has anyone expierenced the following?
I get in my truck and kit the key...it wont turn over.
wait about 4 hours
get in and hit the key vrooooooom - starts right up.
I've been scratching my head. This has happened to me a few times now and cant figure out what the deal is.
It happened when it was cold out (45°)
and yesterday when it was hotter (87°).

each time the truck had been sittting for a few days.

nothing special under the hood.
350/700r4

[Classic Heartbeat]

Your starter and solenoid have heat soak. Common problem with these trucks especialy if you have headers. WES

[rsavage]

+1 on what Wes said if your engine is hot (has recently been shut off). If your engine is cold, I would start cleaning every contact - battery connections, ground to block connection, connections on solenoid including positive from battery.

[Rob H.]

The way I read it it's when your truck has been sitting. I would start with checking all the ground locations, make sure the engine to body grounds are attached. Also could be the starter itself, I just recently had one on a Jeep do simular thing. Good luck with it.

[Sammy]

On mine neutral safety switch wire wiggles a bit a little movement and it cranks right up.

[bimaldo]

thanks guys,
it only has happened when the truck has been sitting for a few days, so I think I may be able to rule out the heat soak starter.
Rob, when you say it could be the starter itself, I am not sure what you mean.
The starter turns the engine, it just wont fire.
I will start looking at the engine to fram grounds.
could it be a short sanywhere ?

bill

[Classic Heartbeat]

Wouldn't be a short anywhere. If it were a short it would arc out and either get the wires hot or burn them up.
Bad connections could be the problem, just take the wires all loose and clean up the connectors and reinstall. (I do mean all of them. Even the ones where it plugs into the fuse panel) It wouldn't hurt to do that anyway.
If the problem isn't solved then start looking into a new ignition switch or starter solenoid.
If when you turn the key, you get absolutely nothing, not even a click, then that would rule out the solenoid. If you get a loud click that means low battery, or poor starter alignment. A somewhat quieter click could mean stickey solenoid.
None of that however will not rule out the ignition switch or the nutral safety switch.
Try turning the key while wiggeling the shift lever a little back and fourth. If it starts it is a shift linkage adjustment problem. If the problem is on the electrical side of the nutral safety switch it either works or it doesn't.
You can check the ignition switch just by trying to turn the key repeatedly. If it sometimes works and not others then replace it.

None of these tests are set in stone nor do they garantee success. They are rule of thumb and a good starting point. Good luck, WES

[bimaldo]

thanks for the advice, perhaps I was not clear in my original post.
never had a problem with the solenoid engaging or the starter turning the engine,
it would turn and turn and turn (long enough to drain the battery) it just never started.

I am no electrical whiz, but I was thinking is there some connection in the ignition switch that might be going south that would inhibit energizing the coil?

[Wrenchbender Ret]

I took it as a starter problem too. First remove the air cleaner & look down the carb. Each time you work the throttle a squirt of gas should go into the throat. If not try pouring a little gas in the carb & try it. If it starts then you have a fuel problem. If not remove the coil wire from the cap & with it close to the engine crank the engine. You should get a blue spark jumping about 1/2 in. If not the ign. system has a problem.

[Classic Heartbeat]

I get in my truck and kit the key...it wont turn over.

it would turn and turn and turn (long enough to drain the battery) it just never started.

Those statements do conflict, however what you are talking about now could be electrical or carburetion. You need to pull a spark plug to see if you are getting spark. If so it should be carb related. Spray starting fluid into the carbureter and see if it starts. If not it could be the carb needs work or you have a bad fuel pump. WES

[bimaldo]

Alright, so now I feel stupid. Moisture in the distributor cap.
New cap and button and I'm back in business.
Thanks for your input. I can not imagine what I'd do with out this Community.
Posted via Mobile Device

[stich626]

Originally Posted by bimaldo

thanks guys,
it only has happened when the truck has been sitting for a few days, so I think I may be able to rule out the heat soak starter.
Rob, when you say it could be the starter itself, I am not sure what you mean.
The starter turns the engine, it just wont fire.
I will start looking at the engine to fram grounds.
could it be a short sanywhere ?

bill

turns over just no fire?
I'd say the fuel is backing down the line and the carb fuel bowls are empty

[Longhorn Man]

what part of columbus are you in?