Engine cranks very slowly, almost doesnt start, sometimes starter disengages/re-engages. 1year ago mechanic checked batty, alternator and starter, all ok. I had starter replaced as it seemed the most likely cause. Didnt help. Eventually got better but now is worse again. Also notice a lot of movement on the dash voltmeter needle, sometimes high, sometimes low, turn signal moves the needle. Ive spent hundreds of dollars on troubleshooting and the new starter. Anybody have any ideas as to on what could be causing this?
Connection. Could Be battery cable, ground cable, but you have a voltage drop somewhere.
Are you saying this has been going on for a year? Did this “mechanic” offer any explanation for the slow cranking if all of that stuff was ok? Or are you saying that the slow cranking is new? If so, then whatever someone told you a year ago is irrelevant.
Thanks for the feedback. I think i’ve solved it. Slow cranking had been going on for over a year. Turned out to be the “underhood electrical center stud assy”, the metal stud the battery cable attaches to. Poor design, can get hot and melt the plastic boot and plastic body that is molded around the stud. Chevy issued a campaign for this on the police, taxi and special service wagons but wouldn’t own up to a problem with my standard model even though engine can die while driving and many fires resulted.
Replaced the stud yesterday and everything is normal so far. Since this is the power connection for everything but the starter I suspect voltage to the computer was not consistent, so stalling makes sense. Haven’t figured out why this would cause slow cranking though, unless it caused the computer to spark the plugs too early, but that doesn’t seem consistent with what i observed.
I wouldn’t necessarily consider a problematic junction terminal on a 17 year old car to be a factory defect. Servicing of battery cable ends and connections is a standard maintenance procedure that should be done ever so often and the junction terminal is a cable end of sorts.