hey so i finnally got my blazer to not run hot but now it only starts sometimes i thought it was the battery so i changed it but it wasnt becasue it start sporadically i put the new battery in and it wouldnt start nothin not evebn turn over or click but my lights and radio worked so i waited a couple minutes and it started right up same thing today tried to start it 4 times nothin but all the gauges came on then waited 30 mins and it started right up and it said i had a full battery what the hell is this a short somewhere or somethin else???p0lease help i just got it to stop overheatin now it wont start when i want it to thanks yall

 

So,you have a good battery. you turn the key and nothing happens...


1st thing id look at is the connection terminals,and look at the terminals at the starter. Have someone wack the starter next time it does it while with the key forward. if it starts your starters bad.

Could be your ignition switch too.

 

see thats the deal its a brand new starter the battery terminals good im just wonderin if when i disconnected the temp gauge wire and put a mech. gauge in its shorting out somewhere ?...does a 78 mhave electronic ingnition?

 

Are these cold starts like after it's been sitting over night or when the engine is hot. If this is when the engine is hot then I'd say the solenoid on the starter is suffering from heat soak. This happens when you have a hot running engine or headers. Solution = remote solenoid. But I'm guessing this isn't your problem.

 

no it starts fine after i run it its usually ovenight the part that makes me thing its electrical is if you try it a couple times then wait a while and try again it starts right up i dunno the wireing in this things a cluster **** i don know quite where to start theres dead end wires everywhere

 

It could be a number of things. So this just started happening after you fixed your overheating problem or is it the same problem you posted about here?

Check the things Chris said. Are you sure the starter/solenoid aren't making any noise? Get under the truck and have someone try to start it to make sure, then as Chris said wack it a few times. I know you said this is a new starter and battery, but when you buy cheap parts at the large auto parts stores they don't always work. Either it didn't work when it was assembled or someone dropped it during shipping and put it back on the shelf knowing it was damaged. Most auto parts stores do free testing on starters/batteries/alternators, just pull it out and take it to them.

The battery could have broken/loose plates inside it or the terminals could be loose internally. The battery cables could be corroded internally/externally or have broken wires inside it. Could be a bad ground connection coming off the battery. And just you jumping back in your truck to try to start it again could be enough movement to shake one of these things enough for it to make good contact.

If you've got dead end wires then trace them back to where they come from and eliminate the wire as best you can. That's how cars catch on fire.