Weird starting problem

[pintopkp]

So last weekend I went to pull my truck out in the road to start getting things in order in my shed for the spring. When I went to start it, it had a heck of a time turning over like the battery was low. However, it did start and I moved it. Later on, I try to start it and it's very weak and won't start. I get a jump from my neighbor and after a little trying, she starts up and I let her run a bit. Move it back into the driveway and there she sat until this past Thursday. I go to start her Thursday morning, and I get absolutely nothing. Everything electrical works fine (brake light, interior light, headlights, etc), however, there's nothing when I turn the key. The only two weird things I see is the seatbelt buzzer sounds rather weak and short (can't remember if it was like that when I got it....only had the truck for a little while) and, even weirder, when I turn the key to crank the engine, the brake light comes on and then goes off when I release the key. I charged the battery to full, checked my battery connections, tapped the starter with a hammer, checked the starter connections as good as I could, and still nothing. Engine is definitely not locked up (was running great anyway so I didn't think that was the cause). Was the hard cranking a sign of my starter giving out and then it finally gave up the ghost while sitting? Is my battery suspect even though it still seems to power everything else? I have the 454 V8, so maybe the battery is "just ok", but not "good", hence, not enough power to turn the starter? The brake light thing is weird too. Sorry for the long post; just trying not to leave anything out. Thanks.

 

[smurph20]

I would get the battery load tested just to make sure and also have the starter bench tested to make sure its not drawing a huge amount of amps to get it to turn. If the starter is drawing a lot of amps and the battery is only so so then yea it will not want to turn over so good. The brake light thing is weird though.

 

[pintopkp]

Yeah the battery light thing has me a little weirded out. The starter doesn't even click; I'm starting to wonder if it's some other kind of electrical problem, however, the hard starting and then no start bring me back to starter/battery issues.

 

[smurph20]

In your first post you said brake light came on the back off. If its the battery light more then likepy the battery is the main problem.

, the brake light comes on and then goes off when I release the key

I would start with a new battery.

 

[pintopkp]

Thanks for the help. I accidentally found the problem. Turns out the PO wired in a kill switch in the door jamb next to a hinge. I must have hit it accidentally and not even known it. I flipped the newly discovered switch on a fluke, and she cranked and fired up when I turned the key. My battery is weak, but the switch was the culprit.

 

[2500sierra81]

similar thing is my problem with my truck now. but there's no kill switch. but it was doing most of the things you were saying other than the brake light. any ideas? is there a fuse for the ignition? no wiring diagrams show any