2004 Silverado starting problems

[Wild Bill]

Turn the key, all lights/ instruments come on, hear the fuel pump engage.... Nothing.... Try again after a while, or just keep pestering her and she will eventually start.

Its not all the time, but about once to twice a week... Enough to try and remember the nearest cliff.

Was hunting at high altitude. Every morning (down low) no probs. In the afternoon on the mountain, she wouldn't start.

Tried a battery...

Dont want to chase my tail while spending a bunch of money... Your thoughts?

I am going to try and tighten up all my grounds tomorrow, and have my alternator tested for good measure and to help with the process of elimination.

I heard to replace my fuel pressure regulator, but that make little sense to me as the starter doesn't even engage.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but if the solenoid is screwy the starter would click?

I am a good parts changer, but a terrible mechanic in the department of trouble shooting.

Any thoughts?
Thanks,
WB

[jackelope]

Altitude has nothing to do with it.

Spend $100 and have someone look at it.

Or replace 1 or more parts you will see mentioned in the next 15-20 posts.

A starter going bad will usually click one time.

Maybe those trucks have ignition switch issues. Cant say for sure.

[jackelope]

Do the battery cables move at all if you tug on them? I recall battery cable bolts bottoming out in the battery before they tighten all the way on the cables. They wont move freely but they will move if you tug on them.

[Wild Bill]

Ill give it a gander....
I had a alarm system removed that was outdated.... Best I can recall that was around the time the issue started...
WB

[huntnphool]

If you have lights and electronics its not your battery or cables. I'd start with the starter, I believe the solenoid is internal on the GM's.

Ill give it a gander....
I had a alarm system removed that was outdated.... Best I can recall that was around the time the issue started...
WB

If the aftermarket alarm had a starter kill then the starter wire in the column would have been cut and a relay attached. A lot of companies will leave the relay in the dash when the system is removed, and not all companies wired then "normally closed". If this is the case the relay could be going bad, although most reputable places didn't wire them "normally open" its possible.

 Another scenario is they removed the relay and used a butt connector to reconnect the starter wire, it could be a bad crimp and coming loose, although you would think that if that happened it would not go back together once it came apart. Its worth a look though. drop your under dash panel and the steel knee panel, it will be a 10awg purple wire going up to the ignition swith in the ignition swith harness.

[jackelope]

If you have lights and electronics its not your battery or cables. I'd start with the starter, I believe the solenoid is internal on the GM's.

not necessarily true re: the cables. Ive seen that problem I mentioned earlier a few dozen times. The dash will light up but no crank, no clicks, etc.

[huntnphool]

If you have lights and electronics its not your battery or cables. I'd start with the starter, I believe the solenoid is internal on the GM's.

not necessarily true re: the cables. Ive seen that problem I mentioned earlier a few dozen times. The dash will light up but no crank, no clicks, etc.

If it did this and was the battery he would have needed to jump it or charge it, the battery won't charge on its own between cranking with no result and then all of a sudden crank.

[jackelope]

Cables, not battery.
I am only saying what I have seen.

[huntnphool]

Cables, not battery.
I am only saying what I have seen.

I hear ya.

[boonerboy]

Do a volt drop test on batt cables. With a voltmeter put one lead on batt positive and the other to where the positive cable attaches to starter and turn key. If voltage is more than .5 volts then u have a bad cable. Do same on negative side, attaching the lead of voltmeter to batt negative and the other to the starter case. If voltage reads less than .5 volts on either neg. or pos. then cables are good. If so, I'd test starter or look into alarm wiring issue.

[boonerboy]

Make sure batt is charged and cables are tight which I'm sure u have

[flinger]

not sure of the year but it is around that year .my kid had the same problem rondom no starts no pattern he replaced starter,battery ,cables still the same results i asked him if he replaced the starter relay on the firewall he said um no i told him replace the stupid relay,about $10 and 8 or 9 months later no problems
 Replace the relay before ya dump a bunch of money, little black 1inch by 1 inch box on the firewall

[Woodchuck]

Battery cables appearing tight but really aren't is king with no crank issue on side post GM, yes check voltage drops. We do see some ignition switch issues. If it does it again, pull it into nuetral and the try it. 

[swanny]

not sure of the year but it is around that year .my kid had the same problem rondom no starts no pattern he replaced starter,battery ,cables still the same results i asked him if he replaced the starter relay on the firewall he said um no i told him replace the stupid relay,about $10 and 8 or 9 months later no problems
 Replace the relay before ya dump a bunch of money, little black 1inch by 1 inch box on the firewall

I'm gonna have to give this a try, especially if it's a $10 fix.

I've been battling with mine for a year and a half, new battery, 2 new starters (the 1st replacement actually crapped out). It starts fine most the time, but every couple days it takes a second turn of the key to start.

Funny story on the starter...so I purchased the first one from Schucks or O'Reilly's whatever they were called that day. It crapped out on me and it was a PITA to replace! So I just said screw it and took it to the local shop near my work to have it replaced b/c I was heading out of town and didn't want to deal with replacing it again. I took the old one back to O'Reillys as it was only 3 months old. The manager at the store tried to refuse giving me my money back. He said I had to exchange the starter! I asked him, how am I supposed to exchange a dead starter and what good will it do me when i already replaced it again?! He still said I had to exchange it, then changed his song and said I needed to return it to the exact store I bought it from. I was so pissed at this guy and his lack of customer service I will never visit one of their stores again.

[brokenvet]

Yup, highly possible that it is the starter relay, $13.99 at Auto-Zone

[CementFinisher]

IF you think its happening only after being where its really dusty or muddy just try taking a hammer and wack the **** out of your starter. They will act bad if they get full of mud dirt grime.

[C-Money]

I was gonna say starter relay, had a Caprice that acted the same way. Eventually it will become very frequent. Hardest part about changing it was figuring out how to fit my self under the dash around the brake and gas pedals to swap them out.

[CAMPMEAT]

My 2011 Siverrado has done the type of deal 5 times. Took it to the dealer and they couldn't find anything wrong with it, even with their computer checking the trucks faults.

[jackelope]

Battery cables appearing tight but really aren't is king with no crank issue on side post GM, yes check voltage drops. We do see some ignition switch issues. If it does it again, pull it into nuetral and the try it. 

Thanks Woody.

[Woodchuck]

A lot to be said for K.I.S.S. 

[Cascade_fisher]

Maybe a neutral safety switch? 

[Heredoggydoggy]

Years back, a friend of mine had a starter go out on his Toyota pickup.  Went to Shucks (pre-O'Rielly) and bought one.  It was a PITA to change.  Didn't work, so he took it back and got another one.  That one didn't work either.  He took it back, refused a third one and got his money back.  Went to NAPA and got a starter, and that one worked.  Back around '82 I bought a rebuilt carburetor for my Chevy pickup from Shucks, and it was worse than the one I took off.  DON"T BUY REBUILT PARTS AT SHUCKS! 

[Wild Bill]

awesome fellas.
I'll start with the cables and press on...
WB

[Grit dog]

Years back, a friend of mine had a starter go out on his Toyota pickup.  Went to Shucks (pre-O'Rielly) and bought one.  It was a PITA to change.  Didn't work, so he took it back and got another one.  That one didn't work either.  He took it back, refused a third one and got his money back.  Went to NAPA and got a starter, and that one worked.  Back around '82 I bought a rebuilt carburetor for my Chevy pickup from Shucks, and it was worse than the one I took off.  DON"T BUY REBUILT PARTS AT SHUCKS! 

In the same boat with steering pumps on my truck.  O reillys did return the last one without exchange no problem as I went back to Napa for the next pump thinking they would be better.  FOund out they are both A1Cardone re-built units from Napa and Oreillys, so it was jsut lick of the draw on crappy rebuilt parts.  In fact I returned the Oreilly pump in a Napa box.  The parts guy peeled the Napa label off and said "ok now it's an Oreillys box."
Starters are probably the same thing.

[Wild Bill]

So far so good.
I bought the relay, and checked all the batt cables and grounds ( all were tight, haven't bothered to clean the contact points as of yet).
She hasn't given me any grief yet.
Thanks again.
WB

[flinger]

The relay is a sneaky lil bastage shoulda fixed er.