Ignition switch issue? Truck no-start

[adamgh81]

1988 Chevy k1500 5.7l 4x4, no tilt steering, auto, new battery and starter.

 

Truck sat for a week in the snow and wouldn't start in extreme cold (below 15 degrees) it warmed up to 25 or so and finally started, replaced the starter and batt. Still engaged starter slow at times, but once engaged the starter, always starts right up. Now I can't even get the starter to engage when I turn the key. Batt has plenty of volts and amps. I think it is the iginition switch that is my problem, but how do I know? Help appreciated! I'm off Friday and would love toget her running again, she's an awesome truck but just looks like shit...and now is giving me starting problems. Also, the truck has been with me down in TX for about the past 6 months so it was down in the dry heat and just came back north just as the snow hit the ground. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with the problem. Grounding looks good. Thanks again!

[acklac7]

First thing I would do is take an Ohm meter and check the battery ground cable for excessive resistance, even though it looks fine it may be shot. Do the same for the starter connection to the battery (+).

 

Take it you've already checked the starter relay?

[Cordell]

Like stated above check the cabling, ground and power. See what kind of voltage drop you have going to the starter. Just because the starter is new doesn't mean its good. You're not running some heavy oil in this old truck are you?

 

The way to check the ignition switch and relay is to see if you get power on the signal wire at the starter, since this doesn't really carry any load thats all it needs to have. If it has a poor connection somewhere maybe its intermitant, but if you key it up and theres 12 volts on that wire that circuit should be fine.