2001 S10 won't start or turn over

[gcebulka]

I have a 2001 S10, 4WD, 5speed, 4.3l 108k miles.

This is an intermittant problem.
The truck is having a problem where I push in the clutch, turn the key and it won't turn over.
I have radio, gauges, blower, horn & lights. If I am parked on a hill or can get the truck moving I can pop the clutch and it starts right up. When it does start it starts right up.
Had the battery and charging system checked by two places, they are fine.

The problem almost seems like what would happen if you didn't push in the clutch and tried to start it.

When the truck is doing this, even jumpping the battery doesn;t help either.

The last time it did this, I had the truck towed to my mechanic who saw the problem and told me that sometimes it would start and sometimes it wouldn;t. He thought it might be starter, but, when it would start the starter seemed fine. He told me to take it to the dealer, which I did and the truck started fine for them every time. I picked the truck up, drove it 10 miles, parked, and left the truck sit for 30 minutes or so. Got in, tried to start it, no go.

I'm at wits end here. Any ideas or suguestions on what to look at would be great.
Thanks,
George

[amac209]

could be a few things such as ignition switch, clutch switch, starter relay, starter solenoid/motor. if it only happens after driving for a while it might be a "heat soak" problem with the starter. do you at least get a click when it doesn't start?

[Danlorus]

Do you have an alarm or automatic starter on this vehicle. I did and it cooked the ignition switch. Replaced the switch and removed automatic starter/alarm and the strange starting went away. Sometimes it would work, the problem got worse and all sorts of electrical problems atarted to ocur. But replaceing the switch fixed all the problems.

[gcebulka]

Originally Posted by amac209

could be a few things such as ignition switch, clutch switch, starter relay, starter solenoid/motor. if it only happens after driving for a while it might be a "heat soak" problem with the starter. do you at least get a click when it doesn't start?

Thanks for the reply.
I get a click from somewhere in the dashboard. No click from the starter or anywhere in the engine for that matter. When the truck does start, it will turn right over.
The problem seems to be more random than anything else. Sometimes it will go for days and start right up. Other times, it will start, I'll drive for a bit, park and shut it off, then try to start it again and nothing. Right now, that truck has sat for a couple of days and it won't start.
I should point out that once started, the truck has never died on me once it was running.

[gcebulka]

Originally Posted by Danlorus

Do you have an alarm or automatic starter on this vehicle. I did and it cooked the ignition switch. Replaced the switch and removed automatic starter/alarm and the strange starting went away. Sometimes it would work, the problem got worse and all sorts of electrical problems atarted to ocur. But replaceing the switch fixed all the problems.

Thanks for the reply.
Nope, no alarm or automatic starter. This is get in, push in the clutch and turn the key....

[gcebulka]

It truned out the the problem was the starter. From what I was told it had dead spots where the brushes were not making contact and this was the cause if the intermittant starting.
So they replaced the starter and it seems to be starting fine now.

[powelldw]

I know this is of no help, but I am having the same problem with my 2001 5 speed, 4 cylinder S10. I have replaced the clutch start switch (neutral safety switch), that seemed to fix it for a while, but about a month later, I am having the same problem, I had to take off the lower panel to my dash panel so I could have easy access to the clutch start switch because of this problem. When it would not turn over, I would lay on the floor and put the truck in neutral, and work the switch plunger back and forth several times while turning the key until it turned over, this worked for a few months when I could not start the truck, but it has not worked in the last week, so I guess I ran out of luck. I guess what I am saying is, do not buy a clutch start switch, it will not fix the problem, when I figure it out, which I will, I will post it to the site.

[dmbrisket 51]

thread is 8 months old, his new starter seams to have fixed his problem as of 3-15-05

[powelldw]

Originally Posted by dmbrisket 51

thread is 8 months old, his new starter seams to have fixed his problem as of 3-15-05

I am new to the site, and do not know all the ins and outs yet, such as when something was posted, it just caught my eye, because I was having the same problem for the last couple of weeks as the person that posted the problem I replied to. I would like to thank you in responding, as I have deducted down to the starter on my 2001 S10 4 cylinder, if I ever get the starter dropped. Do you have any secret step by step code on how to drop a starter on a 2.2 liter 2001 S10 truck. I went exactly by the Chilton Repair Manual, and took off the engine to transmission bracket, but that does not suffice for the hot cable that goes from the + battery post to the starter, which is connected to the engine all along the way. I have removed the driver's side tire to gain access through the flap panel, but that does not help the access to the starter cables. Can you tell me, what is the easiest procedure for removing the starter for 2001 S10, 2.2 Liter, S10, 4 cylinder.

[RahX]

1/4 ratchet and sockets with enough extension to reach it from underneath. you gotta use your feelers and your jedi training. its a bit of work but not impossible. i find it easier to disconnect the starter first and work it so i can see the things and then take em off. dont let the starter hang tho that can cause some problems by pulling the wires apart. and PLEASE disconnect the negative battery cable. battery explosions are both spectacular and dangerous neither of which you want happening 3 feet from you. Also, sometimes i get ignition switches that go bad in such a way that if you turn the key very slowly to start it you can go from good contact to bad contact and get it to happen repeatedly.

[chevyernothin]

Tthe Same Thing Happened ToDa,The Batterys Just Fine But When I Try To Start It I GeT My Guages But Nothing But A Random Click Under The Hood That Ia Very Silent, Any Ideas?

[aleekat]

Originally Posted by chevyernothin

Tthe Same Thing Happened ToDa,The Batterys Just Fine But When I Try To Start It I GeT My Guages But Nothing But A Random Click Under The Hood That Ia Very Silent, Any Ideas?

BTW. You jumped on a thread that is 9 years old.

How did you test your battery?
Voltmeter static=12v +
Cranking= anything less than 10v it probably won't start.
If you get it running(with accessories off)=13v or better
Radio, lights etc on= 13.5-14v