Strange problem, never see this before

[obrut]

I have a 86 c10 with a stock 305/th350-c. Tonight I had to run out to the store, I pulled into a parking spot and shut the truck off but it shut off almost like the battery was removed. The head lights, power locks everything had no power with the key in the on or off position.

After about a minute the lights turned on and I could start the truck. I shut it off, ran inside the store came out and went to leave and the same problem. No lights or power to anything not even the brake lights when I pushed the pedal, almost like the battery was remove. Then all of a sudden, its fine, the key buzzer is going off dome light is on and it starts right up.

When I got home and shut the truck off it shut of again like the battery was removed. I flipped the key back to the run position but nothing, no lights, brake lights, dome lights, power locks, radio - nothing. And then all of a sudden without doing anything it just turns on and I have power again.

Bad battery? Something in the alternator? Loose power wire somewhere? Anyone have any ideas or have you seen this before?

[silverbear]

Sounds like Gremlins...

I would check you battery cable going to to starter. If that comes loose, nothing else is happy.

[Just call me Sean]

Check all the cables both ends. Clean the terminals and posts.

[Eyegore]

To me sounds more like a ignition key short is there a lot of play with you may want to change it out. Also is it a tilt steering column mine had short there.

[trixter99]

I had a burned off wire on the firewall to the diamond shaped terminal block. I think it was a fuseable link.

[400/400]

I second silverbear. I had a similar issue on my '87 earlier this summer. Turns out the nut that holds the positive cable to the starter had loosened up.

[obrut]

Thanks for the help.

I cleaned the connections at the starter, battery, and the grounds on the frame and on the engine. The only thing I really found was the power cable to the starter seems almost hand tight, I could have turned it loose with a socket and extension without a ratchet.

I thought about the ignition being bad but when it would happen I would loose everything including locks and headlights which are independent of the ignition.

I'm going to clean the connection on the firewall today where the fusible links are and check the fuse box connection to make sure its tight. Any other connects I'm missing?

BTW I drove it this morning and did not have any problems but it wont hurt to check a few more things.