QuestionI have a 1991 chev.c1500 pu. 350/5.7. Sometimes when I hit the key the truck will only click a couple of times.If I try this 2 or 3 times it finally fires right up. Any idea whats going bad?
AnswerYou are describing a classic battery/cable/ground/starter problem.
That may sound like a lot of items, but they all need to be checked.
First, verify that your battery connections are clean and tight. Note that corrosion can occur under the insulation on battery wires and such corrosion can cause this kind of trouble.
Next, verify that the negative battery cable has a good connection to the engine. You may wish to remove and clean the connection terminal and area where the terminal bolts to.
After that, have your battery tested. It may be getting too old to reliably start your engine.
If none of the above work, remove the starter and have it tested. The problem may be in the starter solenoid but this is right above the starter and mounted to it. Repair or replace as necessary.
It is also possible for the ignition switch to be going bad, but that is much less likely than one of the above problems.
