I wanted to update this as I finally cured my starting problems.

In my last post, I said that a new starter and plugs seemed to help. Wrong. It has been acting up all through the fall and early winter. However, my head gasket started to leak (coolant coming out between block and head). I have had a head gasket problem for a long time now (low compression, slight coolant loss, overheating) but I wasn't absolutely sure so I didn't want to pull the top end apart until I was.

Anyway, I did a top end rebuild and it starts easily now with no gas pedal. I believe that my starting problem was related to low compression, caused by a leaking head gasket. I used a McCord gasket set with a graphite head gasket which needs to see the engine warmed up to operating temperature before it will seat and seal. I had a very hard time getting the truck to start after buttoning up the top end so I checked the compression and it was very low. I finally (after killing another starter) got it to start and now that the gasket has seated/sealed, it starts hot or cold easily.

I hope this helps someone else out if they are searching this forum for starting problems/solutions.

Allan Davis