Ok, So I replaced my oil cooler lines. I had nice hydraulic hoses made for all four of them.

There is no battery in the truck at this point, so I used jumper cables to attach to the other car battery just to get it fired up. It was cranking too slow, so I fired up the car. The truck was still cranking slow, but caught, sputtered and died. This doesn't worry me as my z24 does the same if the battery is out for more than 20mins. Next shot at starting, same fairly slow -but steady- cranking. It starts up, stumbles, with a push of the gas pedal brings the rpms up and idles beautifully.

Now the weird part.

Two days later, bought a new battery, put it in. Tried to start it. It cranks really nice, but won't fire. Tried repeatedly, nothing. Tried holding the pedal down, nothing. Starter fluid, nothing. All the while cranking just fine.

The fuel pump does go on when I turn the key forward to run. I wait a bit, but nothing.

This is where it gets REALLY weird. So I take the battery out, and think let's try the jumper cable thing again. So once again, no battery in truck, hook up cables, crank-catch-sputter-die. Next shot cranking fires up like before with really low rpms, blip the throttle and all is good??

I am absolutely dumbfounded with this... Why with a nice new battery it won't fire, but with a half assed rig that cranks at half the speed does get it to fire?

I am slowly going crazy... I want to drive this truck. Could this be an idle relearn issue? I know my z24's idle is quite erratic and hard to start until you do an idle relearn...

Any input appreciated!

 

I have never had great success with jump starting a vehicle without a battery, even a dead battery has some amperage to lend.

That does not explain why you can start the truck without the new battery installed though...

What happens when you attempt to jump start the truck with the new battery installed and the jumper cables on with the other vehicle running?

This sounds like a spark problem due to fact that it did not start with starting fluid either... But too rich on the fuel could also cause a no start.

Have you pulled a plug or two to check the fuel mixture?

 

Ok, well this just gets weirder and weirder. I put the new battery in, fires up, stalls. Normal... Try a second time fires right up no issues...



Been trying the past couple days, and it's been starting beautifully?? lol

Well, it magically fixed itself

 

Voltage is a weird thing...

 

Ok, now this is freaking me out... Yesterday, truck started fine, a little hesitant, but started and idled. Today, same as before cranking but no start...

I tried the jumper cable thing again while still hoked up to the new battery, nothing... When I disconnected the terminals and used jumper cables, it fires up no problems, albeit with very slow cranking.

I have tried with two different batteries, and have tried each battery in my other car, and it works fine. Had it load tested, it is fine. I'm not sure, but could terminals/wiring be at fault? It almost seems that the truck does not like to crank fast.

Another thing to add, under it's own battery power, the seatbelt light comes on when key is turned to the run position, then a few seconds later all the other lights come on. Coincidentally, these lights all turn on after I hear a click that comes after the fuel pump priming. When the truck was running two days ago, I noticed the voltage meter was showing ~13V, to me I think it's low... My multimeter showed 13.2V at the terminals. I didn't measure at the alt.

Can someone please help me? Everything checks out good, fuel pressure, spark, etc.

 

What year are you driving again?

The dash light issue makes me think of the ignition switch starting to fail. There are other signs depending on the year of the vehicle.

 

The truck is a 97 4x4 auto. I just got home from work, so I'm going to tinker with it today. I think it may be the battery terminal that's causing all this. The old one was cracked (by my doing oops) so I bought a universal side mount terminal. They were cheapies, pair for $7... I'm going to try a copper washer I have with the wires under it and bolt it to the battery. The more I think of it, the more sense my crappy connection theory makes sense. I'll give it a go, and post back how I make out.

 

Ok, an update... Now the truck will not start at all.... I decided to look under at the ign switch. I found somethinf strange... The pink and orange wire coming from the switch where spliced together!! Does this indicate that someone already had a switch problem and used a band aid fix? From various wiring diagrams, I see that the pink is ign switch + and the orange is a switch for the fan/acc?? When i separate the two, nothing comes on, not even the dash lights. Only the key buzzer goes on. I was wondering why the bottom cover was off and in the trunk lol... What says you guys? Think the switch was toast, and just got worse?

 

Switch is toast. One section went bad and someone cobbed it to another section. That section eventually couldn't handle the additional load passing through the contacts inside of it. (that's what it sounds like to me)

 

Yep, sure sounds like the ignition switch is the culprit. I really need to get some pictures taken of what they look like on the inside. Just a bunch of copper contacts and a coded wheel pushing on some pins to make/break connections for the given key switch locations (ACC, OFF, RUN, & START).