What to check first? Starting issue...

[8ball]

I tried to search and got 13000 results, so I thought it would be quicker just to ask again, even though this question may have been asked already.

About half the time I go out to start the truck, the following happens. Hot or cold, sitting for 15 minutes or 5 days. The starter will kick over about one revolution and then pause for half a second. Just enough to think "Oh, crap, it's not gonna start." Then it spins over like normal and starts the truck. Batteries are pretty old and the cables look pretty crappy. Is there anything else I should check first before checking and cleaning all the battery cables and posts and ground connections? I am a little limited on the time I have to work on vehicles, so any help steering me the right way would be appreciated.

 

[ah1988ford]

Check the cables and clean the connections, make sure you disconnect the batteries especially when you are near the starter all you need to do is touch the frame and the positive post on the starter and zap! I was having all sorts of electrical problems with my van and when I replaced old cables and cleaned the connections they were all solved.

 

[whiteboyslo]

Usually an indication that one or more of the coil windings in the starter is on its way out, but start with checking that all battery cables have good connections and definitely have the batteries checked at minimum.

Mike

 

[icanfixall]

Clean connections on the battery and good cable ends are an important item to start these engines. A good starter and good batteries are the other things that make for easy starts. It sounds like you have a bad connection and the heat from the starting amps warms up the bad connection till it makes good contact. This could be the battery condition. The cable connections or the starter condition. Never crank longer than 20 seconds without allowing the starter a 2 minute cool down. Long cranking times will kill off a good starter fast.