Help! Problems with truck

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My oldest daughter took our truck (1990 Chevy 2500 extend cab, long box 4X4-gas engine) to school yesterday (she just loves driving that truck--not!) she left school went to the gas station to put fuel in it, went to start it again and while the ignition was trying to turn over everything quit-interior lights, ignition, everything. She tried again but got nothing, no clicking, nada. She called home and told me what happened and her father went to see what was the matter. In the mean time, an angel (with a Brooklyn accent) pushed the truck away from the pump and waited with her for DH to get there. Ed was there very quickly and the angel offered to tow the truck home (I call him an angel because I would rather have a root canal and give a public presentation to a crowd of 500 than tow a vehicle) because it simply would not start-they towed the truck home. Well, as they were unhooking in the driveway, the angel said he thought it was a fuse as there was power to the engine but not the interior of the cab. Ed went and bought fuses and tried them this morning (it's 10 degrees, with a windchill of -5) but it didn't work. He looked at the Chilton book and thinks it may be the alternater, does this sound right? Remember, we are mechanically challenged (understatement of the year)and could use any help you can offer.

Thank you.

Stacy in NY

-- Stacy (KincoraFarm@aol.com), March 22, 2002

Answers

Try to turn on the headlights. If the headlights do not go on at all, then you probably have corroded battery terminals. (When was the last time you cleaned them?) Clean the terminals and see if the trucks electrical system doesn't go back to "normal."

-- Cabin Fever (Cabinfever_MN@yahoo.com), March 22, 2002.

First thing I would do is make sure the battery is fully charged and working properly, a quick test is to turn on the lights or hazard flasher and see if they work. If the battery is working and fully charged and there is no click when you turn the ignition switch, then look at the starter solenoid. The start circuit is a very simple circuit (or used to be) involving the battery, ignition switch, starter solenoid and starter motor.

There are lots of shortcuts to testing and isolating different things, but don't know what you have or know.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), March 22, 2002.


Wow, thanks for the fast responses! The headlights and flashers work. We've replaced the starter on this truck three times in the last 2 1/2 years, but DH said it doesn't act like the starter this time. He didn't go into detail as to how he knew. He had to run the girls to school, so I'll ask him more when he gets home.

Thanks again,

Stacy in NY

-- Stacy (KincoraFarm@aol.com), March 22, 2002.


a 90 may have circuit breakers,, or fuses under the hood,, may also be a fuseable link., or just a bad connection/bad wire

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), March 22, 2002.

OK, I have more info- DH doesn't think it's the starter because there are no interior lights even when engaging the ignition, no start engine light or anything like that.

Stan, yup- I checked the Chilton's manual and this year does have circuit breakers, so we'll check that too.

Again, thank you.

Stacy in NY

-- Stacy (KincoraFarm@aol.com), March 22, 2002.



My 90 Blazer did something along that line and it was a problem with the voltage regulator module.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), March 22, 2002.

I had my 88 just stop on my the other day,, no lights no pwer to anything,, turned out to be a burn/broken wire from the pos cable to the starter. Might want to check there

-- Stan (satanswelp@hell.nets), March 22, 2002.

I would check the chiltons to find any fuseable links. These fuseable links are wires that will burn out if overloaded. If memory serves me correct, the plastic coating has "fusable link" printed on the outside of the wire. You might find these links between the battery to the starter/selinoid and major connections to the cab.

-- clove (clovis97@Yahoo.com), March 22, 2002.

I take it, its a bit cold up there today? Seems like this problem often crops up just after a cold snap (even a small one) I find, the first thing to look at is the connections. 9 times out of 10, its a bad battery connection(since you don't have interior lights, I'd look here first, since the small wire married to the larger positive cable it just for that), starter cable connection or ground strap connection. All three require the same fix - remove, clean throughly(wire brush), re-connect. Before you do anything else, re-do these connections! A tight connector is not necessarily a good connection, corosion builds up in the connection over time, and the cold just seems to make the connection fail. Hope this helps, I always like to go the easiest route first, then start looking for failures.

-- TonyG (nothere@here.com), March 22, 2002.

Try starting it in neutral, if it responds look to the transmission lock out switch.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), March 22, 2002.


Are you sure it is not the timing belt?

-- Jay (candlebn@maxminn.com), March 22, 2002.

I would make notes of all the above posts, and then go out to the truck and visually inspect all of the wiring that has to do with the with your problem.

Start with the easy stuff, like mentioned above. Battery, terminals, pos and neg cables, CRAWL UNDERNEATH AND CHECK THE STARTER/SELINOID FOR BURN MARKS, fusable links, etc. This should only take a few minutes.

Then go back and start doing the harder stuff. Curcuit breakers, fuses, more fusable links, voltage regulator, etc.

This will give you a method to your madness, and if I were a betting man, you will be able to visually see your problem.

Then figure out what is causing that problem.

I am concerned that "you have replaced the starter 3 times". Is the motor a 454????? The 454's tend to run HOT, and will easily burn out a normal starter/silenoid. If you have to replace it, MAKE SURE YOU GET A HIGH TEMP PART.

Check the starter and cables for burn marks or melted plastic. It could be burnt and creating a short, thus leaving you with the problems you have.

When buying new replacement parts, my opinion is to stay away from national chains like auto zone. Go to a good mom and pop store. Remember, you get what you pay for.

-- clove (clovis97@Yahoo.com), March 22, 2002.


Thank you all for your great suggestions. I just went out and put it in Neutral to try and start it--Nada. It's really weird tho, the interior gauges are all "stuck" at exactly what they were when it quit-the temp gauge caught my eye immediately as it read above C and it's very, very cold today with a horrible wind they never "reset" themselves like they do when you shut the engine down and it cools. It's so cold that we're not touching the truck again until tomorrow when it's supposed to warm up a little. DH had back surgery a little over a month ago so I'm going to have to enlist help on this one--he really shouldn't be crawling under the truck in the snow.

BTW, the engine is a 350 not a 454--do 350s run hot too? We did get the starters from Advance Auto. This truck has always run a little warm when towing, never red lining or even real close to it, but running at higher than normal temps. It's a 3/4 ton with towing package if that makes any difference.

As you can probably tell, we are not mechanics, and have very little mechanical experience--but we are learning.

Thanks again for the help.

Stacy in NY

-- Stacy (KincoraFarm@aol.com), March 22, 2002.


Might check with your local auto parts store and price a remote start button (button with a couple of wires with clips on the end), about $5-6.00 and how to hook it up. It will allow you to test the starter and starter solenoid by themselves and see if that is your problem.

Considering the number of starters that you have gone through, I'd try another brand of starter.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), March 22, 2002.


I think you have trouble in the starter circuit wiring also; being you have headlites, you should be able to eliminate the battery and terminals being dirty. chloe is right on about national chains too I've had enough trouble with their starters and alternaters and go to a local parts store where these are completly rebuilt Ken

-- Ken Brothers (wombat12@pennswoods.net), March 22, 2002.


This is a long shot but a possiability. Older chevys used a cog on the inside of the key cylinder which, when the key was turned, would draw a matching cog strip which would move slide contacts. This is located under the steering colume before it disappears into the insturment panel. With the cold weather the cog could have broke off or a few teeth on the cog strip, allowing the key to turn normally but with no mechanical reaction. You will have to remove the colum cover to get to it.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), March 22, 2002.

Stacy, I just read your post again. My previous post suggested a timing belt, a timing belt problem would still turn over the engine which is not happening. I would highly doubt that is the problem. I had a situation over a year ago which sounds similiar to your issue. Went down and bought some grain for the animals, backed up to the barn and unloaded my cargo. Hopped back into the truck to move it and nothing. No click of the starter, nothing. Checked everything, fuses, cables, battery connections, even threw the battery on the charger, still nothing. I brought it into the local garage to have them look at it. They replaced my battery and sent me on my way. Boy did I feel foolish, I have had many a battery go weak on me but have never had a battery just quit on me like that.

Just another idea.

-- Jay (candlebn@maxminn.com), March 22, 2002.


Boy, I know where I'm coming next time I have a car problem. Just wish that some of you lived close enough to do the actual work. Stacy, I have a van that would do that frequently. Most of the time it was the battery connectors. Either they were corroded or not making a good connection. If fact it happened just recently. I had used it earlier in the day and no problems. I got in it later on the same day and NADA. No clicking, no nothing. It took charging the battery for about five minutes before it would even consider turning over. Whoever it was that said a tight connection doesn't necessarily mean a good connection is right. I've had to put nails or screws between the post and connector sometimes to get a good connection. I hope it is a simple problem.

-- Sheila in NC (nannie@intrstar.net), March 22, 2002.

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