It's all hitting the fan...

[Phaenicia]

Hey everyone!

I own a V6 1998 Chevy S10, with about 90k miles on it. Last month, I noticed some troubles starting the engine; I could hear the starter, but the engine wouldn't turn. Over the past few weeks, it's gotten progressively worse.

Now, to start my truck, I usually have to pop the hood and wiggle the negative lead of the battery, get in the cab, turn the key a few times and mash on the gas. IF the engine does turn at all, the damn thing runs for a few seconds and then dies. It takes me anywhere from 3 to over a dozen starts every time I need to fire up my truck and go.

Additionally, the LCD display frequently flickers and when I'm sitting at an idle at the stop sign, the tach starts jumping from about 1k rpm to 1300 rpm then back down to 1k rpm in a pretty regular rhythm.

Needless to say, this is not only annoying, it's putting an enormous dent in my gas prices. A few thoughts, since I can imagine your heads running with a few obvious comments. The negative lead nut into the battery is torqued down completely, but the actual cable is able to freely move. I also do not really have time to take this thing into a shop to be studied for days on end, and as a college student, I would really rather do the labor myself than pay someone some outrageous sum for menial work.

Any ideas? Thanks...

[RahX]

you can replace the terminal end on that cable and you probably should from the sound of it. you just need something to cut the old one off, something to strip that big cable with and i THINK its like a 7/16 socket or wrench to tighten the new terminal down onto the cable.

[movin2stereo]

Just dealt with that problem.Clean the terminals and grease them up and tighten them down.