Lately every once and awhile I'll turn the key to start it and nothing will happen. I will have to manually move my shifter up and down a few times to get it to turn over. It doesn't do this all the time and I'm wondering what's causing it and if it will get worse. Thanks.

 

sounds like the shift linkage is off and not engagin the park. when it does it again, try starting in neutral, and see if it starts right up

 

Mine was doing that about a year ago, replaced the starter hasnt done it since

 

really the starter? A week ago when it first did it my buddy was in the truck with me and i was like ****! it wont start and he was like oh move the shifter around and it started right up but honestly i would have never thought of that and prob would have tried to jump it or something...anyone else vote for early signs of the starter failing?

 

Your starters going bad. When you turn the key and it does nothing except click, thats you solenoid plunger thats stuck. the next time it doesn't want to start, go under the truck and gently bang it a couple of times with a dead blow hammer and it'll start right up...that's just a temp. fix though.

 

I didnt think it would fix it either but my dad was sure it would and like I said hasnt done it since then and its been over a year, actually probrably closer to 2 years

 

An intermittent starting problem as described is usually the neutral start switch. When you turn the key to start the NSS provides a path to ground and the starter engages. The NSS sometiimes does not provide a path to ground and when you turn the key to start, you don't hear a thing. It just does nothing.

If it were the starter, you can sometimes hear the solenoid clicking.

The best test is a voltage test. When the start problem surfaces, check for voltage at the solenoid terminal, the small terminal, with the key held to start. No voltage means a problem in the starting circuit. Yes, battery voltage means a problem with the solenoid or starter. Hitting the starter a couple of times may get it to start. Usually the problem is that the solenoid contacts are warn and not making contact. A very cheap fix, rather than a new starter.

 

If it where the Neutral Safety switch, you'd be able to turn the truck on and off in any gear. Try to turn the truck on in drive or reverse WITH the e-brake on. My money is still on the starter being bad.

 

I would vote for linkage adjustment. If it's the starter going bad it will get worse and then he will have to bang on the starter to get it going. He said nothing about a click just that "nothing will happen" when he turns the key.

 

this is true when i turn the key NOTHING happens not a click not a sound. My hunch is that its not the starter, although a lot of you say it is, I can't see it being that. I'm tending to agree about the other things that were mentioned.