Advice on starting issue '99 C2500 Suburban

[legendaryandrew]

I had a few electrical issues with my '03 last year, and after removing every aftermarket electronic device, testing every fuse (parasitic drain, starting issues, dim lights) 2 or 3 times, I found some obscure reference to a guy having my same issue, and he traced it back to his negative cables. Checked mine, they didn't look TERRIBLE, but still had some corrosion, and IMO were woefully small. I replaced them for 10 bucks with spare amp wire that I had laying around, and used a die grinder with a steel brush to clean the terminating surfaces on the block and truck frame, which were pretty bad fyi. My truck hasn't run so good since. Charging issue is completely gone, to the point where my LT (all accessories) just sat for a month without being started or touched once due to me having ACL surgery, and it fired right up when I went to move it.

 

[DaveNay]

Thanks for all the input guys. The starting issue has changed a little in the last few days. Three or four times now the truck hasn't started on the first two or three turns off the key (just a single click) but then on the last turn off the key it does finally crank and start right up. In my mind this is additional evidence that the solenoid is failing.

 

[justcuz]

Figured you'd have it fixed by now! Merry Christmas

 

[DaveNay]

Figured you'd have it fixed by now! Merry Christmas

Too many other things going on lately! Merry Christmas to you too.

 

[CAPTNDAVIE]

Any updates on your starting issues? I have a '96 that won't start as we speak. But I'm not sure what my problem is. I was driving and heard a pop kinda like a backfire through the intake and then some rattling. Pulled over and it cut off and then it started and barely ran enough for me to get it out of the road. About four years ago I did the intake gaskets, fuel pressure reg, injectors, plugs, wires and a billet accel distributor from summit. Got it to my buddies shop and it wouldn't hold fuel pressure so it got a new fuel pump and I have replaced the battery also. But it will not hardly turn over. I pulled all the plugs and recapped them and still nothing. I'll be glad when I finally figure it all out. So I know it's no fun chasing gremlins.

 

[justcuz]

Captndave,
I would start with a valve cover removal and make sure you did not drop a valve.
If that's OK then check your distributor movement while turning the crank with a wrench.
Check for timing gear slop or distributor drive gear worn out.
Run a compression check.
You did not say how many miles are on the truck.

 

[82fb]

Any resolution?

 

[DaveNay]

Any resolution?

I haven't made any repairs yet....it's been starting on the first key turn for a few weeks now. Around the first of the year it would sometimes take 20 key turns before it would engage. It's obviously the luck of the draw and it will probably leave me stranded one day, but I simply haven't had time to work on it yet.