Difficulty starting...

[XHitman396]

the 87 has been doin this since i bought it, bout 5 months ago, when i turn the key the starter cranks for about 3-4 seconds before the engine catches, the previous owner who was mechanically retarded said that he put in the wrong oil filter and it loses pressure when turned off for a while, he says the oil pressure is building while it cranks, and the engine won't start until the proper pressure is reached, anyone ever heard of this. and also he put a marine deep cycle battery in it, but i dun rekn that would mean anything would it? and way off the subject, you know that 4 inch piece of plastic directly under the front bumper that runs the length of it, does that have a purpose, cuz i wanna take it off if it doesn't, some one i talked to said it might keep things from flyin up into the engine and stuff, know anything? thanks in advance for all help.

 

[k20]

that plastic thing is just a air dam if its what i think, your talking about. It doesnt do much that i know of, my truck doesnt have one. Lose it.

 

[KRAZIE87K5]

I ripped my "air dam" off the front of my 88 C1500 after I drove it thru a 6ft snow bank! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif Drove it for another 3 years afterwards... maybe thats why the engine died?!!! J/K! Take it off worry free.

As for the BS story your 'mechanically retarded' previous owner told you is incorrect as far as I know. My 88 started very quickly, and youcould watch the oil pressure jump to 40lbs right as the engine turned over. But I only had to bump the key, there wasn't any real cranking that occured!

Just my .02!

-Dan

 

[tRustyK5]

I had an 88 that would do that right from new...crank for 3 seconds or so, stop and hit the key again and it would fire right up. If I kept cranking it would take 4 to 6 seconds to start which annoyed me. I guess it could be some sort of oil pressure switch involved. I never gave it much thought.

Rene

 

[dyeager535]

First off, the air dam is to help cool the vehicle. Forces air through the radiator. Also reduces some drag by "smoothing out" airflow under the vehicle. The MPG part of that equation must not be important, I get no better mileage with it on or off, though to be fair, I've only tested freeway mileage with the thing on. So cooling at cruising speed is the main benefit.

"Oil Pressure" when cranking is dumb. It may be that the timing is too advanced, if the thing turns over like the battery is dying. (turns easily, then almost stops, goes again, stops, etc)

Also, could be your battery. Deep cycle batteries are NOT made to be constantly charged as in a truck application. They are made to be drained completely (or close) then recharged. You do that to a "normal" automotive battery and it damages it, (effecitveness) constant charging of marine batteries will do the same thing.

 

[HarryH3]

It could be that the fuel pump relay has died. There's a pressure switch that provides a secondary electrical path for the fuel pump when the oil pressure comes up. Check to see if there is 12 volts to the fuel pump immediately after turning the key to the "run" position. (You should be able to hear it running if you're back near the tank). Without the engine running, and the key in "run", the pump should run for 2 seconds then turn off. If you don't hear that, then start troubleshooting the fuel pump relay circuit.

When the feul pump relay dies, the fuel pump won't run until the oil pressure starts to build. I think it only takes around 4 PSI for the switch to kick on.

 

[dyeager535]

Perhaps thats what the PO was referencing regarding oil pressure, good point. : )

 

[trailblazer87]

I fell in a crevasse after a hill climb and shoved my air dam up into my radiator shroud /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif , switshed bumpers and now have a tube bumper, no airdam, and mine runs at 180 degrees regardless of the weather or speed /forums/images/icons/grin.gif