Slow/labored crank

[RawbDidIt]

My brother suggested testing the relay first, but also he said it could be the plunger in the starter could be worn out and not making contact.

If it were either of those, the starter wouldn't engage or turn. The likely culprit is heat breaking down the coils of the motor, reducing the torque produced.

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[Eveready]

Put me in the camp of those who suggest testing the quality of the leads and grounds first. Also if you just slapped a new battery in without fully charging it then you are at the mercy of the alternator to build it up. First order of business on any new battery should be to put it on a trickle charger overnight and really get a hot charge on it. Not only will the battery last longer but if the alternator is a bit weak it will last a lot longer.

Let us know what you find but like many I suspect cables first, then grounds, then alternator, but put a hot charge on the battery too.

 

[Schurkey]

I assumed it was the battery as it was hovering around 11.7 volts with the engine off...
...Right now the Interstate battery is at 12.2 and the same slow crank is happening.

I don't think it's the alternator as the battery will stay at 14.7 with the engine running. But I'm going to have to put the battery on the charger when I get home. When I left for work, the battery dropped to 12.02 volts

12.02 volts is 3/4 dead. No wonder you're having starter problems. CHARGE THE BATTERY before doing anything else. Ideally, you'd charge and then load-test that battery.

Could be the starter, could be a bad connection. Check the connections from the starter to the power and ground with a multimeter by checking resistance. Should be next to nothing, like 0.0x-0.1x ohms for each.

Checking resistance on a heavy cable such as the main battery cables is one step away from totally useless. ONE good strand in the battery cable will give you a low resistance reading, but the cable won't conduct the amperage needed to start the vehicle.

Battery cables, and the alternator output cable are best tested by checking for voltage drop when the starter is cranking, or when the alternator is full-fielded (max output at fast idle.)

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[thinger2]

Its the

Over the last few weeks I've been having an issue with my C1500 where it cranks slow for a few seconds before it starts.

I assumed it was the battery as it was hovering around 11.7 volts with the engine off. At this point the battery was about 4 months old so I replaced it with Interstate battery.

Right now the Interstate battery is at 12.2 and the same slow crank is happening. I'm starting to wonder if the starter/solenoid is having an issue turning over the engine and having an effect on the charge of the battery.

Thoughts?

1997 C1500 5.7

Its the starter. Take a picture of it so I can see if you have an old type starter or a newer gear drive.
Either way post what you have and ill talk you through it.

 

[VIKING_MECHANIC]

12.02 volts is 3/4 dead. No wonder you're having starter problems. CHARGE THE BATTERY before doing anything else. Ideally, you'd charge and then load-test that battery.
When I bought the battery, it had 12.8 volts. About a week ago I checked again and it was 12.20, and tonight it's 12.02. The engine will do this regardless of the ambient temperature, although the cold doesn't help right now. I have the battery disconnected while I'm at work so nothing on the truck will affect the charge.

Checking resistance on a heavy cable such as the main battery cables is one step away from totally useless. ONE good strand in the battery cable will give you a low resistance reading, but the cable won't conduct the amperage needed to start the vehicle.

Battery cables, and the alternator output cable are best tested by checking for voltage drop when the starter is cranking, or when the alternator is full-fielded (max output at fast idle.)

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[VIKING_MECHANIC]

Its the

Its the starter. Take a picture of it so I can see if you have an old type starter or a newer gear drive.
Either way post what you have and ill talk you through it.

I think it's the old style. It's clunky and heavy. Can't really take a picture right now...

 

[thinger2]

I think it's the old style. It's clunky and heavy. Can't really take a picture right now...

Ok.
Go get a reman starter. They come in two basic types. High torque and low torque.
take your old starter with you just to make sure that the case is the same. Look at the length of the motor and the solenoid.
Make them test the starter before you buy it.
Do not give up your old starter for the 10 buck core.
Keep your old starter no matter what.
You dont need the entire starter, you need the motor.
The orientation between a chevy starter and the ring gear on the trans is determined by the nose cone on the starter.
get a new nose cone bushing. About three bucks.
swap out the nose cone bushing, bolt your old nose cone onto the new maybe 50 buck starter motor..
Clean the mating surface on the block.
Use a torque wrench when you bolt it back on.
Dont break the corner off of the block.
Before you drop the starter, unbolt the cable clamps that hold the wires to the frame. Get all of it loose all the way to the battery.
That way you dont have to disconnect the wires from the starter while its still mounted.
Leave the wires on the starter and drop the whole thing on the ground and then deal with the starter and solenoid wires
Drive it for another ten or twenty years.
Its cake bud.
Easy
Let me know if you have any questions

 

[Erik the Awful]

You can charge the battery up to 14 volts, but it drops over the ensuing days? Even with the alternator charging the battery? It's not your starter. Do your due diligence in troubleshooting. I'd bet dollars to donuts that it's your battery wires or terminals.

If you don't have one of these, buy one. Cleaning your terminals will eliminate 90% of starting and charging issues.
https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-BAF-BI-Terminal-Cleaning-Brush/dp/B0060YHP62

How good are your battery cables? Schurkey's post about checking voltage drop is spot on. The stock cables were barely adequate, so they must be clean and tight. That means the terminals must be bolted so that you can't turn them on the post with your hand - but be careful because too much tighter and your terminals become single-use. If your battery terminals have terminal ends crimped onto the wires, they must be clean and tight. I like to heat shrink my cable ends.

If you really want to throw money at the problem, I recommend a big-3 cable upgrade first.

 

[Andrew7]

On my 93 454 they added a cellenoid that I saw on another 454 at the junkyard.

 

[kenh]

Even if the wires are good the connections may be dirty/corroded causing poor current flow. First clean all the connections including the starter to block. Then see what happens. While your at it also clean the grounds from the engine to the chassis and body. Those connections can affect how the alternator charges.

ETA posted a good battery terminal cleaner. For conventional top post batteries I like this.

https://www.xtremediesel.com/cta-to...mTrVSlC85fiTnATYKIneA1CrEMvS22thoCgeMQAvD_BwE

Bought mine back in 1976 or so. It gives a perfect mating surface between cable and post. CAREFUL though. You can take to much off and ruin the cable or post.

Ken