No start blues

[Stepside Billy]

Have a problem with my truck. 1987 G.M.C. 350, all stock. I started her the other day and went to the store. She always took a couple of spins to start. After about a half hour I went to start her and I was greeted with a very slow cranking engine and no start. I put a new battery in her, cleaned the negative ground on the block, got her started and went home. Checked the timing, turned her off and got the same very slow cranking and no start. Has a new starter, new battery, new cables. I also had previously cleaned the grounds in the engine compartment and used dielectric grease on them. What else should I check? Thanks.

[Irish_Alley]

well if you have spark you need fuel also. have you checked for fuel? when you say slow cranking do you mean like instantly it was slow or after a few seconds it slowed down?

[Stepside Billy]

No, instantly just like a very weak battery. I got it to start to get it home.

[80Chevy4x4]

Ok you say you have a new starter in it....how long ago did you replace the starter and where did you get the new starter from?

[Stepside Billy]

Starter less than a year old. Got it from Autozone. Bench tested ok but it was not under any kind of load.

[80Chevy4x4]

I have never had any luck with electrical items from Autozone or Advance....Very possible it might need a shim if the starter is to tight to the flywheel and it bogs it down.Also if the batt cables are not thick enough it can cause that too....Just because they are new doesn't mean they are the right thickness....especially the positive cable because it runs all the way from the batt to the starter.

[Stepside Billy]

The cables are both 2 gauge. The starter has been working fine for the time I've had it in. I just picked up a remote starter to see if maybe it's the ignition switch. It has been acting up a little. This problem has me baffled as the truck had been running good up to this point.

[Irish_Alley]

whats your voltage when cranking?

[blazer74]

Sounds like heat soak problem with the starter. 
Sounds like your eliminating  everything else.

[79 Royal Sierra]

I just went thru this problem with my Impala. I had a new less then 400 miles Jegs mini starter, and due to heat soak from my headers, it ruined the starter. I also had a very expensive Pertronix billet Dizzy with less then 50 miles, and it had a bad cap and rotor. And I had a battery that had around 500 miles on her, and it too had a bad cell. As stated above I had bad luck as well with Autozone, there is a reason why the majority of their electrical parts only come with a 6 month or less warranty, and most at Oreillys are Lifetime. Also double check your timing. Good luck and keep us posted.

[Stepside Billy]

Well as of the last few days I've replaced the starter, battery, and cables and it still cranks over like the battery is very weak. When it was running, I checked the timing and it was good. Went over all the grounds and all were good. I'm running out of ideas where to look next!

[jrbarrie83]

Are you checking the timing with a light and the mark on the balancer? I had this issue with my 86 Olds 307. It cranked beautifully when cold, but behaved like a total heat-soaked mess when hot. I had replaced the starter, cables, and put heat shields on both. Since, according to the mark on my balancer, my timing was correct, I refused to believe this was the problem. I finally gave up and played around with the distributor position a bit, and lo and behold, it was a timing issue. Apparently the ring on the balancer can slip. This has happened in my car and truck. Neither mark shows the correct timing.

Good luck! I know I was pulling my hair out with this one, and whatever your issue is I hope you figure it out easily enough.

Jim

[Stepside Billy]

Are you checking the timing with a light and the mark on the balancer? I had this issue with my 87 Olds 307. It cranked beautifully when cold, but behaved like a total heat-soaked mess when hot. I had replaced the starter, cables, and put heat shields on both. Since, according to the mark on my balancer, my timing was correct, I refused to believe this was the problem. I finally gave up and played around with the distributor position a bit, and lo and behold, it was a timing issue. Apparently the ring on the balancer can slip. This has happened in my car and truck. Neither mark shows the correct timing.

Good luck! I know I was pulling my hair out with this one, and whatever your issue is I hope you figure it out easily

Jim

[Stepside Billy]

This what has me so baffled. The truck had been running good. It got me to the store and when I went to leave it cranked over very slowly like a near dead battery. I put a new battery in, messed around with it, not sure what I did but I got it started and went home. Hasn't started since even after replacing the battery, starter, and the cables it still acts like it has a dead battery but it's new and was tested before I left the store.

[jrbarrie83]

So, even when cold, it won't crank at all?