Intermittent Starting Issues Help

[Kazman1596]

Hey guys,

First post- I've been keeping up with this site for a while now and I figured I might as well join. This site has been very helpful so far, and you guys have some beautiful Chevys! But anyway, here is my problem.

For a while now, my truck will occasionally just stop starting. It'll run for a couple of days to a week, then I'll get in and turn the key and- nothing. No turn-over, no click, or anything. This will happen for a couple of hours to a day, then it'll start up again for another week or so.

Since I have had this problem I had the battery, starter, ignition switch, neutral safety switch, and a fusable link or two replaced. Still not fixed and I am at a loss. Has anyone had this problem and found the solution? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Stephen

[old Rusty C10]

sounds to me like you've got a bad connection on a ground somewhere

[tucsonjwt]

Reading this, it sounds like deja vu all over again to me. I had the same symptoms on my 83 C20 454. I think the fix for me was an "upper steering column rebuild."

For "starter heat soak", which is no start after the engine is hot, a Hitachi starter fixed that.

Automotive electronics is a specialty which few mechanics have mastered. Your best bet is to look around for an auto electrical shop and ask them if they can guarantee to fix it. If you can't get that guarantee - don't bother going there.

Any mechanic will want to duplicate the problem so they can trace down the condition when it occurs. This means they will have to keep the truck and drive it for awhile.

[Dead Parrot]

Could be worn starter brushes. The ground for the solenoid goes through the brushes so worn brushes can equal no clicking or starting.

One quick way to test is the next time it quits starting, take a broom handle or long screwdriver and firmly tap the bearing cup on the starter. If the brushes are EOL, tapping often remakes the connection. New brushes for the older style starters were $4 at the local parts store a few months ago.

Sometimes you have to tap the starter end with new brushes until they get worn in.

[wilkin250r]

Worn starter brushes is a possibility, but the OP did say he replaced the starter and saw no change. That doesn't make it impossible, but it does make it unlikely the new starter would have the exact same symptoms, with a nearly identical frequency.

Tell us about WHEN the problem occurs. Is the truck hot, like a starter heat-soak problem? Is it first thing in the morning? Have you looked for/found any pattern to WHEN it happens?

[1976gmc20]

When it won't start, do you have any other power such as bright headlights, horn, radio, etc?

If not, then you (most likely) have a battery or battery cable issue.

Otherwise, you have a problem in the ignition switch, solenoid, starter, etc.

When searching for needles, it helps to find the right haystack

[greg64]

Stephen, when the problem happens next, you're in a perfect position to troubleshoot why this happens with a test light. But you'll probably need a helper (or jumper wires) to hold the key in the start position. The start wire is 12 gauge (fairly heavy) and is purple or yellow. Start probing at the neutral safety interlock and work your way to the starter solenoid terminal. There *should* be 12V all along this path.

[franken]

A bad connection somewhere. Since it does nothing, I'd be looking at the wire running to the solenoid, and the ground, which should go to the block (even though it originally went to the alt bracket).
Its unlikely to be heat soak. That's just what lots of people reply to any post with the word starter.

[Kazman1596]

Thank you guys for the responses. I would say it would be a starter/solenoid problem, however it was replaced about two or three weeks ago.

To 1976gmc, yes everything works. No dimming or anything. The battery was the first thing I checked when this first started happening.

To greg, that seems like a good idea. My mechanic guy checked it but only near the starter. He said to check the rest of it when I have time. It was weathered and bare in a spot or two but he rewired that area, but there may be more.

As far as the time of day, its all over the place. I thought heat might be an issue, but it's happened at night before so I kinda ruled that out. Although last time it happened it was sitting out in a parking lot for a while, and being in AZ it gets pretty damn hot.

Well as of today, I had an had an electrical guy come out to check my alarm system. My mechanic (family friend) said that it might be the kill switch on my alarm. Apparently the way the Audio Express guys installed it was wrong (had something to do with a diode between the connection) and said that he had seen this problem before. He sent me the name of another guy and he came out. Anyway, the alarm system is 'fixed' and now I just wait for if/when the problem occurs.