That Lurching Feeling

My better half's truck crapped out a few days ago. Apparently it either decided it was just too nice at the drug store to leave, or it took one look at rush hour traffic and said NO. Can't say that I blame it. Phone calls are made, meaningful and expensive items are transferred to my faithful steed, and the tinkering begins.

Me, I'm not Sherlock Holmes. I like to think I'm observant enough to get by, though. Popped the hood on that truck, and couldn't spot anything wrong; No dangling wires, belt was in good shape, no corrosion on the battery, no obvious leak points on the head or exhaust manifolds, fluids at good levels. Turning the key gets a *click click click*.

Near as I can figure, the truck has spark, has compression, has no issue with the battery or the alternator. After having attempted the near sisyphean task of shoving the lame beast uphill (Got about three quarters of the way up hill before Random Old Guy gave a helpful shove with his car bumper), we know that the engine isn't knackered because we got it to roll start. So, it's either a computer issue, or the starter motor is going pear-shaped. I say going because apparently it works when it feels like it.

Side note: Pushing around a truck on level ground isn't that bad. Pushing a truck down a hill feels like you are deliberately trying to screw up your vehicle, except you know someone you trust is inside to stomp the brakes if things get hairy. Pushing a truck uphill has a suck factor of say, 4. I've done things that I hated more, but it's noteworthy. But there's no-way you can physically push-start a truck with one guy without having a nice hill to give a gravitational assist. We ended up using my car to shove the thing around until it finally lurched to life during the roll start. I saw the thing jump some as my better half dumped the clutch and I mentally subtracted a 500 miles from the expected lifespan of the transmission box. Not something I'd recommend relying on permanently.

Figure we can't trust the truck if it's being so willful, so right now it's grounded at the top of the steepest portion of the driveway just in case we have to nudge it back to life again.