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73 K10 wont start

K

KeyBlazer

1/2 ton status
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Jul 18, 2007
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Location
Irvine, California
Was driving it last friday and stopped for about a minute..
Went to restart and nothing... I mean when you turn the key to spin the motor, it does nothing... No click.
Had the truck towed home.
So today...
Checked voltage at the starter, and all good.
Battery is good, so I got a new starter.
Put that in, still the same.
Next I suspected the Neutral Safety switch, so I tested the wires for voltage.
So the are a pair of thicker guage Purple wires and a pair of Green wires.
I could not get a voltage reading from any of them.
Tried ignition on of course.

Ideas?
 
fusable links are inline in the wire. they are rubber looking things that are about 1" long and 3/8" in diameter. there are several on your firewall connection block as well.
 
Ok, so It maybe that.
I looked at my 73 Blazer that had already had the Nuetral Safety switch bypassed, and copied the bypass wire... no luck.

I looked at the wires to the starter solenoid and the are a bunch(at least 3) of things that look like bullet connectors inline.
I assume that when you twist the key to start it I should see 12v at that wire and I dont see anything.
I looked at my fusebox under the dash and there are a few fuses that are blown. I will replace them in a few mins and repost.
 
I replaced the fuses that were blown...
Good news... The interior light works again!
Bad news... No start still!

So, Can someone tell me where I should get 12v at the starter solenoid wires?
There is the main power cable that comes down from the battery, and I get a full 12.8V there, then there is a red wire that goes to one side of the starter solenoid and a black wire to the other.
I am lost at this point!
 
well, you should get power on the red wire (drivers side small post on starter) when the key is in "start" position.I believe the other post is for wiring in power that needs a resister. pretty vague i know, but thats all Ive got. later models dont use that post.

I really think it has to do with the links up on your firewall. I think there's two there. That little block should be hot all the time.
 
I am to work on the truck this week, so kinda frustrated with my lack of progress.
What makes things tricky is that the wires look a mess and someone has added stuff and modded it over the 30 plus years.
There is a red wire that "was" connected to the "Ignition spare connector" on the underdash fusebox, that the spade has corroded and broken off. That wire goes thru the firewall and drops down behind the engine and disappears.
At the starter there are 2 wires that go rearward to somewhere, and I am confused!
I will take some pics this weekend when I get a min.
 
So when you were driving it before the issues, you had interior lights and everything?

And then you went to restart and had absolutely nothing, no interior lights, nothing.. like a dead battery?

What would have caused your fuse to blow for the interior lights? Maybe this issue is related. Sounds like something may have shorted on you.

It could be an ignition issue as well.
 
Interior lights and cigar lighter went off a month ago, so unconnected I think...
The truck did give me a warning about a week before it quit, by not starting one morning until the 3rd key twist(Nothing like now).
So here are some pics...
Here is the harness coming down from the steering column...
Anyone know which color wire carries the start voltage?
IMG_3405.jpg
\

Here is the fusebox... I dropped it down to see if anything was obvious...
IMG_3406.jpg


And her is the wiring to the starter...
As you can see its an oily old mess with a few old splices...
Can anyone tell me what is what???
IMG_3412.jpg
 
Alright turn the ign switch on. Chock you vehicle put in neutral and safety brake one. Take a screw driver and put across both posts on the starter, see if it turns over. If it does most likely the wires going to the starter solenoid would be to blame or the switch its self. I had this problem and it was from crimped wires connectors. They came looses from the metal insided and were just being help to gether with the plastic casing. So i soldered them. Might not be that same on yours just what was wrong on mine. Also the power wire from the battary to the starter. What is the condition of it.
 
You mean touch a wire from the main starter cable to the smaller solenoid cable?
I had that Idea but was nervous to do that.
As you can see it been messed with...
 
Yah I just stand on my passenger tire with a screw driver and touch the big post with the red battery to the little post towards the block. That will atleast tell you if you starter is getting juice. Or you can use a test light but doesnt seem like as much fun.
 
Its a bramd mew starter... I think its a wire issue.
I need to know which wire suppies the power to the starter.
I am getting a full 12v at the main battery cable on the starter, and the cable looks fine. If it was bad I would at least get a click?
 
Look at the positive connection on the battery. Check to see if there was a smaller wire connected to the positive cable at the terminal. Sometimes this smaller wire corrodes and falls off. You should find it hanging below the battery. IIRC the ignition picks up power off of this smaller wire. If it falls off, your truck will die and will not start. I am not sure if your 73 is wired that way but i have had many chevys that were.
 
The heavy gauge purple wires are the wires that supply the ign. signal to the starter to engage the solenoid and start the motor. If you turn the key in start and get nothing on either purple wire then I would start at the ignition switch on the column. There you will need to test for power coming in, and power going out from the purple wire to the neutral safety switch when turned to the start postion.

The green wires are for the backup lights.
 
GOT IT!

Well, here is what happened..
I checked voltage at all of the places and had good readings.
Replaced the Battery to starter cable, and still no joy.
I went back to basics and could not figure out the wires to the starter.
I swapped the two smaller cables on the side terminal and it started!
So, looks like the starter was bad and then I reversed the connections...
Dumb ass!
 
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