intermittent starting, now NO start at all - HELP!

[RedBeard]

Lately, when I turn the key, my truck might start, or no starter at all. I would jiggle the gear shifter and it would usually start up. This morning it won't start at all (no starter action, but the starter relay on the fender clicks.)

If I shift into anything other than park or neutral, the starter relay will NOT engage, so I think the Park/Neutral switch works just fine.

I looked at my Chilton's manual and it is as useless as **** on a boar hog. Does anyone know of a way to test the relay, starter, or anything else that might cause this? I'm now thinking that jiggling the shifter wasn't really doing anything... just coincidence.

-RB

 

[Travis Messenger]

Try bypassing the battery cable from the starter relay to the starter with some jumper cables or heavy duty wire. For some reason, the cable will go bad with no indication other than not starting. This happened on my 91. Its easy to check, and difficult to change.
good luck
Travis

 

[RedBeard]

Thanks for the reply... I'm out the door to do some checking. Of course I did a search AFTER I posted this thread. This day is just starting out all wrong.

 

[stevebs]

Intermittent starting

I had this problem on my '97 and it turned out to be the crankshaft position sensor. They replaced it a year ago and I'm starting to have the same symptoms again. Let us know what you find out.

 

[RedBeard]

It was the starter. After checking all the easy stuff like starter relay and cables, I had a friend come over and pound the stater with a hammer while I cranked. She fired up and I went a bought a starter.

-RB