87 blazer electrical problem

[Noise]

I have a 1987 Chevy Blazer, 350 TBI. last night i had to run to the store, when i started the truck, it suddenly acted like the battery was weak. i thought to myself, strange were did that come from. has been starting fine. went 3 blks and parked it at the store. was in there no more then 5 mins. went to start the truck, and nothing, not even a click. all the accessories, lights stereo all work fine. nothing looks dim. anybody have any ideas? would appreciate it. i'm right in the middle of job hunting, i need to get this thing back on the road.

[snoman]

I have a 1987 Chevy Blazer, 350 TBI. last night i had to run to the store, when i started the truck, it suddenly acted like the battery was weak. i thought to myself, strange were did that come from. has been starting fine. went 3 blks and parked it at the store. was in there no more then 5 mins. went to start the truck, and nothing, not even a click. all the accessories, lights stereo all work fine. nothing looks dim. anybody have any ideas? would appreciate it. i'm right in the middle of job hunting, i need to get this thing back on the road.

A hot engine can actually require more starting power than a cold one sometimes. I discovered this 30 years ago with a big block car a had at the time (a Impala SS 396). It one day became hard to start hot and fine cold. I fussed with it for a week before I slapped in a new strong battery and the problem went anyway and never came back for the last few years I had the car.

[citydriver]

Could be bad battery cables...or even a bad starter...if the starter bushings r worn the HOT NO CRANK could be caused by the armature expanding and rubbing on the stator cause the bushings r worn....or a bad solonoid would do the same thing and loose contact when hot...have the batt. checked..AutoZone or Advance Auto parts do it for free here in my neck of the woods

[Wingnut]

I would start with the positive battery cable. Don't be fooled by it's good looks It can be fine on the outside, and rotten all the way through.

 

My 92 was like this, and I've seen quite a few others do the same.

 

By the time I figured it out, I had to replace the battery. The cable had actually become rotten to the point that it had intermittant contact with the starter, and when I went to replace it, it actually broke, and fell off of the starter.

 

Hope that helped.

[snoman]

I would start with the positive battery cable. Don't be fooled by it's good looks It can be fine on the outside, and rotten all the way through.

 

My 92 was like this, and I've seen quite a few others do the same.

 

By the time I figured it out, I had to replace the battery. The cable had actually become rotten to the point that it had intermittant contact with the starter, and when I went to replace it, it actually broke, and fell off of the starter.

 

Hope that helped.

If the battery is a few year old or older, start with it first, This is not a cable problem as it would be present cold too and if it was it would be less likely when hot as metal expands when hot and tightens a loss connection and it would show up more cold. This is a battery thing most likely. It could be starter too but I would swap battery before I started pulling parts.