2000 sonoma cold start trouble?

[mking6]

I've got a 2000 sonoma, 2.2l 4 cyl 2 wheel drive auto trans... ive been having cold start trouble all winter... figured it was just the battery... replaced the battery... didnt work... started it up, and the battery gague wasnt coming up like it should so i replaced the altenator... the next day i drove it, the service engine light came on, got the code read it was the Intake Air Temp sensor... looked and i had forgotten to plug it back in, plugged it in light shut off... let the truck sit for 5 hours.... tried to start it again, still difficult to start... it'll turn over a couple times and then it makes a metal sounding click rather loudly, i have no idea what it is but, to me it sounds like something is getting hung up somewhere... the trick is that once the truck is warm, it fires up no problem... its only when the engine is cold... im stumped... any ideas? thanks... sry about the long post

[maxwedge]

I would suspect the starter solenoid without being there to hear it, check all the cable connections and grounds first.

[mking6]

to clarify on the sound it makes, its more of a clunk that shakes the truck... almost as if its firing up and stalling imediately... i'm pretty sure its not the starter b/c it does start after some struggle... and im sure the noise im hearing/feeling isnt a dead starter click....

[maxwedge]

Like to help, but I would need to be there to really see what's what.