HELP, my truck will not start...now I am stumped

[EOliver]

Cross-posting for more exposure...



I think the first gen's and second gen's have almost the same electrical system for the ignition. This is why I am posting here.



1. OK guys, here is the deal...



I ran down this morning and she fired right off just like normal. I ran back in the house, grabbed my coat and all the other junk I take with me every day. I got back to my truck and unplugged the heater, jumped in, put all of my stuff on the seat, turned and closed the door. At this point I saw the brake/ABS lights flash on the dash and then my truck died, just like I turned off the key. Now everything seems to work ... EXCEPT the ignition switch. I turn the key and nothing happens, no radio, no clicks, nothing... (the buzzer still works if the key is in and the door is open) Lights still work, battery is still connected, all wires that I can see look ok. I didn't have any electrical smell or smoke, so I am hoping it's something simple. Could it be the ignition switch, or should I check other things first?



I don't know where to go from here, I checked the fuses under the dash, but what else??????



2. OK I have spent an hour or so digging around in the steering column and under the dash... no blown fuses, battery is at 12. 30 volts getting 12 volts to the ignition switch, and to all non-switched accessories. But when I turn the key to ON or to the ACC position it stays the same no power to anything that the key should turn on. I am gonna call around and see if I can find an ignition switch I guess.



3. OK got an ignition switch... . guess what... . it didn't fix my problem, truck still dead. I don't know what else to try... . H E L P



Thanks for any input fellas

 

[K_Arts]

Eric,



I'm speaking on knowledge of a 24valve. . so bare with me.



When I was on my way home from being at Bill K's shop, I had the same problem as you. The wife and I pulled into Butte Montana, everything just peachy.



About 15 minutes after settling into the hotel for the night, we decided to go out get something to eat. . when all of the sudden, my truck wouldn't start. Just like yours.



When I turned the key, I got power to everything, except I couldn't get my truck to even think about turning over. Thank god, one of the Locals helped me out. The only way that we could get my truck to start was by turning on the ignition (even though it didn't do anything) and taking a piece of wire touching both the positive and negative side of the starter. By doing this, my truck started immediately. When I got home, I took my truck to the dealer and they pointed out to me that the fuse to my starter solenoid blew. The dealer replaced this fuse... and whoola, she's started ever since.



I don't know anything about the electrical on your truck, but check that starter solenoid fuse. My truck had a 20amp fuse installed and the dealer upped it to either a 25 or 30 amp fuse.



Hopefully this helps.



Kev

 

[Gizmo 007]

Check the power coming into your key switch. Then check power coming out at each terminal. If you dont have any power coming out, it's the keyswitch.



Or if you don't have power going to it, you'll have to start chasing wires. If there is power leaving the switch, check all your under hood fuses if the older trucks have them.



set your meter to continuity and check across the new switch with it on. That'll tell if the new one is good. Also check for continuity from the keyswitch to the fuse box, a wire could have come loose.



Good Luck

 

[EOliver]

I have power going to my key switch at one terminal, and when it is turned to the on position I have power at two terminals. I tried a new switch allready, and it still doesn't work so the switch is apparently ok. But none of my switched accessories work (radio, wipers, blinkers, etc... ) I am making a trip to the dealer to find out what the relays on my fender are. I have no under hood fuses, just the small ones under the dash, and they are all ok.

 

[Joe G.]

Eric,



Have you checked to see that your grounds are ok? Your body to chassic ground may have broken.

 

[Ed]

Ign

It sounds more like a fuse than the ignition switch. I am not familiar with the 93... but check under the hood for a power distribution block. Should have big red wire coming from battery to it. The starter may have a fuse or circuit breaker and would definately have a relay (if not included as part of the solenoid) as the ign switch can not handle the current draw from the starter. But since you said the clock and radio don't work I would look towards a fuse that says, ignition or something similiar. Although doubtful, there might be a positive lead from the battery with a fusible link that could be the culprit.



The power distribution block or something similiar would have a number of fuses, some circuit breakers, and possibly relays. It should be separate from the fuse panel under the dash.

 

[FFutch]

auto or manual

Did you check you're clutch switch or nuetral safety switch?That's where I would look next. Doug

 

[EOliver]

OK guys, a couple of questions... First: Where is the body to chassis ground? I am gonna go check the body to chassis with my ohm meter. My ground cable goes from battery to the engine block. My positive cable goes straight to the starter. Second: would the neutral safety cause my truck to just die?

 

[Joe G.]

Eric,



I don't know where it is on the 1st gen trucks, but there should be a strap or cable somewhere to insure a solid ground to the body. The neutral safety switch only disconnects the starter solenoid relay. Nothing else.



If you have a wireing diagram you might start at the solenoid and backtrack until you find 12 volts. You will need a help for this. Oh yeah, will it crank if you jump the small wire on the solenoid to 12 volts? If it doesn't then you may have a situation where the solenoid has a short which kills everything.

 

[hdm48]

have you checked the fuseable links? they are on the drivers side inner fenderwell. have to check them with a multi-meter because you cannot see a break. they look like wires, loose wiggley wires. [hows that for a high tech discription]

 

[Ron Bissett]

Sounds like a fuse . You stated started truck whent in to house came back unpluged heater. I think that the heater ,and alt,bouth getting current 110ac and 12or more DC at same time caused a fuse or fuseable link to blow in (PDC) if you have one under hood ,some times the fuse will test good and still be bad swap the starter fuse and or relay . On the 24v the relays most are the same and can be switched around to see what you have don't know about the 12v . Hope this helps keep on checking . LOL Ron in Louisville KY

 

[EOliver]

OK guys thanks for all the ideas! I got the starter relay, and swapped... . NO GO... So I am going to try backtracking from the starter.

 

[B-52]

I would forget safety neutral switch - only relevant for starting - you said that your switched acc. do not work.



I would forget ground strap because if this were broken, dome light and key chime would not work.



Sounds like you did the hard work already - you know that you have switched-12v power leaving the ign switch, but NOT getting to the fuse panel (i. e. radio & accessories do not work). Somewhere between the 12v leaving ign. switch and the input of the fuse panel (maybe @ the fuse panel itself) is a ckt breaker, fuse, or fusible link. If nothing else, you can physically trace the switched 12v source wire from the the ign switch to the fuse panel. I would imagine the fuel shutdown solenoid depends on this power source also. .



Good luck

 

[EOliver]

Here is what I have found... 2 bad fuse links maybe 3, I replaced 2 with ATO fuse holders and put in some 30 amp fuses, but one blows when I turn the key to the run position. (I have a short in one wire somewhere) The fuse links all look to be in bad shape. I would like to replace all of them, but do they have to be fuse links, or can I use regular ATO fuses in weather-proof closures? I hav never been a fan of fuse links, plus it would be nice to know that the spare fuses I have in the glove box could fix it again should it decide to go south. So in the morning I am off to get some wire, and more electrical stuff, and then trace the wire that is blowing the fuse. (never ending fun)

 

[Ron Bissett]

Originally posted by EOliver

Here is what I have found... 2 bad fuse links maybe 3, I replaced 2 with ATO fuse holders and put in some 30 amp fuses, but one blows when I turn the key to the run position. (I have a short in one wire somewhere) The fuse links all look to be in bad shape. I would like to replace all of them, but do they have to be fuse links, or can I use regular ATO fuses in weather-proof closures? I hav never been a fan of fuse links, plus it would be nice to know that the spare fuses I have in the glove box could fix it again should it decide to go south. So in the morning I am off to get some wire, and more electrical stuff, and then trace the wire that is blowing the fuse. (never ending fun)

Get rid of the fuse holders and replace with the proper fuselinks the links are made to carry the load and protect the system if the system only needed the fuse it would have on there ,fuselinks will take alot of amps on off on off and fuse will go out faster. when you replace them make sure air lights ect is off after and if you get it started turn each one on one at a time to see if that one or all are causing the links to blow. Charge battry while awating new links replace links then hook up battry take reading see how it affects battry if truck starts do as above . Lol Ron in Louisville KY

 

[EOliver]

Well here is what I have found so far. I traced the wire that burnt the fuselink. The wire goes straight to the rear terminal on the ignition switch. I have found that when I turn my ignition to the run position this terminal goes to ground. I am back to thinking this cold be the ignition switch again...



Any ideas?

 

[Joe G.]

You might test the ign switch by taking the connectors off and checking to see if it works correctly with an ohm meter. That is the proper terminals are connected with the key in the different positions and that there are no shorts especially to ground.

 

[RustyJC]

Originally posted by EOliver

I traced the wire that burnt the fuselink. The wire goes straight to the rear terminal on the ignition switch. I have found that when I turn my ignition to the run position this terminal goes to ground.

I don't have the wiring diagram, but it's not unheard of to switch the ground leg of 12VDC circuits - that may be what this switch is doing. If that's the case, you would expect to see it go to ground in the "run" position - that's assuming that the wire that burned the fuselink is running to the "ground" side of any loads.



Rusty

 

[B-52]

Good troubleshooting Eric



Yep - I agree with Joe as far as testing the ign switch with an ohmmeter. I would think if the switch is bad, you would find continuity between the metal case of the switch and the switched 12v terminals when you twist the switch to the run position.



And as long as you have all the leads disconnected from the switch, the next idea would be to check for continuity to ground on the wires leaving the ign switch - basically you would be re looking for a short "past" the ign switch.....

 

[Hammer]

Fuseable links are also a major cause of this problem in the first gens,,Now finding where the problem originated may be fun,,Switch sounds like its bad,but,check it as they have already said,,One other area to check,,On my previous 92 I owned I had a similar deal like that,but,when the culprit was found it came as a surprise to me,,My O/D solenoid had shorted out and caused all the links to go,,Since I did not see where you said if yours was an automatic or not,just another idea for you,,One other thing as they have already told you DO replace them,the fuseable links,with the proper equipment you can create more problems than you need to find by not doing it and cutting corners,,Just my . 02... .