1999 5.7 Suburban dies

[Nordin]

Hi!

Yesterday when me and the family where out and driving I put the fan on and the truck just died right away, pulled over to the side, put park in and turned the key and it was completely dead, no lights, nothing made a sound, it was like the battery was removed. After 10-15 seconds the truck started again but ran like garbage and stalled, turned the key again and gave her some gas and she started and ran all the way home.

This morning I had to buy us some coffee and it started, turned on the fan just to try and it died right away, after that it was like yesterday, all dead with no lights or anything.
Started again a few seconds later and ran like crap and stalled on me. Started and ran fine with some gas but I took our other car to town.

The battery is new since 2 weeks back and the alternator gives 14.2v when idling

any ideas what it might be?

 

[Erik the Awful]

My immediate guess is the battery connections. Side posts are notorious for loosening slightly and doing this. I had this problem repeatedly on my '99 Suburban until I chopped off the side posts and went top post. Are your battery terminals clean and tight? Take a wire brush and clean the connecting surfaces between the battery and terminals.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Yes I'll second that on the battery terminals/connections. My Burb is very picky about those; an eighth of a turn loose will make it be very hard to start. I still have the side terminal battery on mine, because I don't want to carve up the cables. Properly maintained side terminals are good, but you have to keep them clean and tight and do not get the threads messed up!
I always start the bolts carefully,by hand, and I have a couple of wrenches I keep in the passenger side front door pocket for the terminals. The wrenches are from Dad's collection, might be older than the truck!