Bought 1996 Chevy 1500, 5.0L auto. Been driving for about a year now and ran fine! Thought Chubby curse was lifted! Went to get groceries yesterday, pulled out of driveway and down the road. 1/4 of a miles from home the truck sputtered, I lifted off the gas and it cutoff.Wouldn't start, not even crank! What do I look at first? I'm going out to check the battery. I don't think it's the problem cause it won't crank even with a jump box connected. When I turn the key I hear a bump but no starter sounds! What should I look for. I'm a fair mechanic but a lousy diagnostician. Help!!! I'm going out now and check battery, wires, etc.

 

Welcome from Florida. First check both your battery cables for looseness and corrosion at both ends. You could also have a bad starter or starter solenoid.

 

Appreciate your quick and timely response! I was out working on the green goblin when you posted your response. I did check the battery cables and removed the battery took it into my garage and tested it. 11.97 volts without charging. I think that is good enough to work. I also put a large jumper box on and that didn't help. When I first got out there I did find the battery cable + was loose I thought that was all there was to the problem.got both of the cables good and tight and tried to start the truk. It made a ungh clunk and that was it! Tomorrow is a wash out, 98% chance of rain. I'm not going to be working on it! Guess I'll fix my wife that frittata I promised, then Friday she gets the speciality of the house beans and weiners!
Thanks old Chevy for your response!
Ever in Virginia look me up we'll smoke a butt or ribs and drink a beverage of choise
Rusty Crusty😃

 

First thing to do is to remove both positive and negative battery cables and clean them really good with a wire brush. Clean the battery posts too. If that does not help, follow the wire that goes directly from the positive side of the battery to the starter terminal. They do get loose sometimes. While you are there at the starter area, check the other 2 small wires that are connected to the starter. If all the wires are nice and tight, than you can get a jumper wire and connect one side to the B post (the larger of the 3 ) of the starter and the other side of the jumper to the S terminal of the starter. If it cranks while using the jumper wire, than you have a bad starter. Usually its the solenoid but its best to just replace the whole starter. Hope this helps you.

 

Thanks for the advise, I'll try what you suggested tomorrow, we're in a heavy weather warning right now and I don't need the truck THAT bad. I'm going to get it up on ramps tomorrow and get underneath it and do what you suggested.
Thanks to all who have made suggestions.
Rusty Crusty

 

Hope everything is ok in your town/city. My best wishes and hope nobody gets hurt in that bad weather. Take care.

 

Every thing is OK here. That was some rough storms that came through yesterday and into the night! I saw on the news that some homes were damaged by a tornado north of here on serious injuries though. Thank the Lord for that! I hope to go out to work on the green goblin thus afternoon if I can get the house cleaned up, including the kitchen. Don't ever think that retirement means less work!!! I retired out of necessity 10 tears ago and my bride kept working, so I volunteered to cook, clean etc. Damn I'm clan I was born a man, I couldn't do this mess for a lifetime. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers Birdman01 it means a lot to me and mine. God bless and stay off the ridgeline!
Rusty Crusty