Weird intermittent no crank problem - 94 k2500

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badgerthehobo

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No, not a "no crank"
No crank would be electrical: bad/loose connections at battery, bad/corroded ground, defective key cylinder or starter relay, defective starter,
Right now I’m leaning toward a bad ignition switch or a short in the wires in the steering column. That’s the only thing that I can think of that lines up with wiggling the wheel “fixing” the problem.
 

Nad_Yvalhosert

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Ok see now that makes sense to me. He said it was on the cap which didn’t make any sense.

Would that cause a no crank issue? One that is semi-corrected by wiggling the steering wheel? Everything else electrical comes on as normal, and when I turn the key to start the accessories turn off as they would when starting, but I just hear a relay click, nothing from the starter. Then I wiggle the steering wheel a bit and try again and it cranks.
Do you have a tilt column? It's not loose, is it?
The key tumbler pushes a rod along the top of the column, to the electrical switch (on the column) near the brake pedal. If the tilt is loose, the rod doesn't push far enough. You said that you "wiggle the wheel"...

Edit: yeah, I was typing this response as you replied; same page.
 

badgerthehobo

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Do you have a tilt column? It's not loose, is it?
The key tumbler pushes a rod along the top of the column, to the electrical switch (on the column) near the brake pedal. If the tilt is loose, the rod doesn't push far enough. You said that you "wiggle the wheel"...

Edit: yeah, I was typing this response as you replied; same page.
It’s a tilt column. I’m not sure if it’s loose to be honest, I’ll check that in the morning. The wheel wiggling has been turning it from side to side, like if I was driving the truck. Not jiggling the column. Though I could definitely see the rotating action wiggling the column for sure, especially if it’s loose.
 

Erik the Awful

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1) Check your battery connections. They need to be clean and tight. Side posts are terrible about backing out on their own. You replace the battery and suddenly it works great again, but a week later the post loosens up and you get an intermittent no-start, or even the truck shutting off while you're driving down the road.
2) Check your battery connection to the starter. It also needs to be clean and tight.
3) Check your grounds. Clean and tight.
4) Check your alternator connections. Again, clean and tight.

You've stated that the battery gets weak and that it sometimes cranks slow. I think your old battery was fine, but not getting charged or not making a good connection. Your alternator could be weak, but make sure all your connections are solid before you start testing the alternator. It won't charge if the connections are bad. Your problem is not the starter, the ignition module, the steering column, nor ignition switch.
 

badgerthehobo

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1) Check your battery connections. They need to be clean and tight. Side posts are terrible about backing out on their own. You replace the battery and suddenly it works great again, but a week later the post loosens up and you get an intermittent no-start, or even the truck shutting off while you're driving down the road.
2) Check your battery connection to the starter. It also needs to be clean and tight.
3) Check your grounds. Clean and tight.
4) Check your alternator connections. Again, clean and tight.

You've stated that the battery gets weak and that it sometimes cranks slow. I think your old battery was fine, but not getting charged or not making a good connection. Your alternator could be weak, but make sure all your connections are solid before you start testing the alternator. It won't charge if the connections are bad. Your problem is not the starter, the ignition module, the steering column, nor ignition switch.
It’s not the electrical connections. They are all clean and tight. The alternator is about a year old. I can go out and chase down the grounds again, but none of that explains why wiggling the wheel consistently allows it to make connection and turn over.
 

badgerthehobo

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Do you have a tilt column? It's not loose, is it?
The key tumbler pushes a rod along the top of the column, to the electrical switch (on the column) near the brake pedal. If the tilt is loose, the rod doesn't push far enough. You said that you "wiggle the wheel"...

Edit: yeah, I was typing this response as you replied; same page.
Ok I have more info now. There’s definitely something going on within the column. It seems like if the wheel doesn’t have tension against it when the truck is shut off (as in, it’s not resting hard against the steering wheel lock), and is a bit loose and easily turned, the starter will work. BUT if the wheel IS hard against the lock, so hard that the wheel “springs” and turns a bit when the key is turned and the wheel unlocks, the starter won’t crank. What I’m thinking now is that tension on the steering is somehow making the switch or the rod flex just enough to not quite make contact.

There is no play in the tilt steering column itself. I wiggled it back and forth and up and down and all kinds of directions. What got me to repeat the problem as well as correcting it was turning the wheel until it had enough tension to want to spring back when I turned the key off, and wiggling the wheel back and forth so there was no tension.
 

Nad_Yvalhosert

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Ok I have more info now. There’s definitely something going on within the column. It seems like if the wheel doesn’t have tension against it when the truck is shut off (as in, it’s not resting hard against the steering wheel lock), and is a bit loose and easily turned, the starter will work. BUT if the wheel IS hard against the lock, so hard that the wheel “springs” and turns a bit when the key is turned and the wheel unlocks, the starter won’t crank. What I’m thinking now is that tension on the steering is somehow making the switch or the rod flex just enough to not quite make contact.

There is no play in the tilt steering column itself. I wiggled it back and forth and up and down and all kinds of directions. What got me to repeat the problem as well as correcting it was turning the wheel until it had enough tension to want to spring back when I turned the key off, and wiggling the wheel back and forth so there was no tension.

Sounds like the rod is bent and/or out of adjustment.

Drop the column. The switch, at the end of the rod, is adjustable. Loosen it, snug it towards the steering wheel, and retighten.
 

badgerthehobo

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Sounds like the rod is bent and/or out of adjustment.

Drop the column. The switch, at the end of the rod, is adjustable. Loosen it, snug it towards the steering wheel, and retighten.
That sounds like a good plan.
Nah - just call it an anti-theft device and send it!
THAT sounds like a better plan! It actually crossed my mind once I figured it out. I’ll probably fix it the right (aka boring) way when the weather dries out.
 
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