87 s10 wont start

xravensxdreamx · 11-29-2008, 10:49 AM

I have a POS 1987 chevy s10, 2wd, 2.8ltr engine. It won't start. I had the battery and the started tested and have replaced the positive battery cable. We wired up the started and whether its in place or sitting in the engine compartment the started seems to work but the truck itself will occassionally try to turn over. Most of the time it just clicks.

I dont know what is up. I have looked for the fusible link but cannot find it. I am at a loss.

Not sure if I should just start replacing the wiring the previous owner replaced long ago or if it's an ignition problem. UGGGG!!!!!!!!!!

I need my truck I use it for work. Any ideas?

**mack1** · 11-29-2008, 10:48 PM

Hi xravensxdreamx and welcome,

Sounds like you have a bad electrical connection. If it clicks and turns the engine over sometimes, you can stop looking for the fusable links, they are OK.

I know the battery checked good, but try using some jumper cables anyway. If the start results are the same, then I would believe the battery is good.

I hope you have a voltmeter. If so, turn it on to DC voltage and measure the voltage across the battery posts while a friend trys the starter. If the voltage drops below 9 volts, the starter is pulling lots of current and should feel warm to the touch. The heavy cable to the starter will feel warm also. This might indicate that the starter is failing or that the engine is hard to turn over. Put a wrench on the nut at the crankshaft pulley and see if the engine is stiff or freezing up. Pull the spark plugs and see if the starter will spin the engine. If a cylinder filled up with water, it would cause the engine to lock up. If the voltage only drops to 10 or 11 volts, the starter is not carrying much load and would indicate a loose connection or maybe even a bad starter solenoid. The starter solenoid pushes the starter gear into the ring gear and at the end of the stroke, engages a large contact inside the solenoid to supply current to the starter motor. That contact can be burned or bad. In earlier solenoids, it was a round contact that you could flip over to provide a clean surface for the contactor. It looked like a large copper washer.

Check the ground connection at the battery and where it bolts to the engine. Note that a loose or bad connection will heat up when current flows through it. The cable will be cold, but at the loose point, it would be hot to the touch. This is true for both the hot lead and the ground lead.

Hope some of this helps,
Mack1

xravensxdreamx · 12-01-2008, 03:00 PM

Thank you for your help. You helped confirm one of my suspicision when you mentioned the ground. My boyfriend was saying that it had nothing to do with the negative battery cable and the ground even though I showed him that it looked bad. If it were up to him we would have gone the way of a faulty ignition cylinder or switch. He wanted to hot wire my poor old truck!!!! I replace the neg. cable, grounded the starter to test it (before we put it back in AGAIN) and wah lah. I haven't had my truck for three weeks over something little. Next time I think I will go with my gut instead of his.

**SABL** · 12-01-2008, 08:35 PM

MEN................what more can you expect with someone who won't ask for directions when he's lost??

Mack1 knows his stuff and pointed you in the right direction. The ground on any electric circuit is very important but we won't get into that discussion unless asked.

Thank you, zravensxdreamx, for coming back and letting the forum know how you progressed with your problem.

SABL

11-29-2008, 10:49 AM	#1 (permalink)
xravensxdreamx Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 3 OS: vista	87 s10 wont start I have a POS 1987 chevy s10, 2wd, 2.8ltr engine. It won't start. I had the battery and the started tested and have replaced the positive battery cable. We wired up the started and whether its in place or sitting in the engine compartment the started seems to work but the truck itself will occassionally try to turn over. Most of the time it just clicks. I dont know what is up. I have looked for the fusible link but cannot find it. I am at a loss. Not sure if I should just start replacing the wiring the previous owner replaced long ago or if it's an ignition problem. UGGGG!!!!!!!!!! I need my truck I use it for work. Any ideas? Last edited by xravensxdreamx; 11-29-2008 at 10:54 AM.

11-29-2008, 10:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
mack1 TSF Articles Team Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Texarkana, Texas Posts: 1,245 OS: xp sp3 My System	Re: 87 s10 wont start Hi xravensxdreamx and welcome, Sounds like you have a bad electrical connection. If it clicks and turns the engine over sometimes, you can stop looking for the fusable links, they are OK. I know the battery checked good, but try using some jumper cables anyway. If the start results are the same, then I would believe the battery is good. I hope you have a voltmeter. If so, turn it on to DC voltage and measure the voltage across the battery posts while a friend trys the starter. If the voltage drops below 9 volts, the starter is pulling lots of current and should feel warm to the touch. The heavy cable to the starter will feel warm also. This might indicate that the starter is failing or that the engine is hard to turn over. Put a wrench on the nut at the crankshaft pulley and see if the engine is stiff or freezing up. Pull the spark plugs and see if the starter will spin the engine. If a cylinder filled up with water, it would cause the engine to lock up. If the voltage only drops to 10 or 11 volts, the starter is not carrying much load and would indicate a loose connection or maybe even a bad starter solenoid. The starter solenoid pushes the starter gear into the ring gear and at the end of the stroke, engages a large contact inside the solenoid to supply current to the starter motor. That contact can be burned or bad. In earlier solenoids, it was a round contact that you could flip over to provide a clean surface for the contactor. It looked like a large copper washer. Check the ground connection at the battery and where it bolts to the engine. Note that a loose or bad connection will heat up when current flows through it. The cable will be cold, but at the loose point, it would be hot to the touch. This is true for both the hot lead and the ground lead. Hope some of this helps, Mack1 __________________ "If you like yourself others will like you also" me "Don't drink downstream from the herd" Will Rogers Submit New Articles Here Last edited by mack1; 11-29-2008 at 10:52 PM.

12-01-2008, 03:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
xravensxdreamx Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 3 OS: vista	Re: 87 s10 wont start Thank you for your help. You helped confirm one of my suspicision when you mentioned the ground. My boyfriend was saying that it had nothing to do with the negative battery cable and the ground even though I showed him that it looked bad. If it were up to him we would have gone the way of a faulty ignition cylinder or switch. He wanted to hot wire my poor old truck!!!! I replace the neg. cable, grounded the starter to test it (before we put it back in AGAIN) and wah lah. I haven't had my truck for three weeks over something little. Next time I think I will go with my gut instead of his.

12-01-2008, 08:35 PM	#4 (permalink)
SABL Moderator Relaxation Room Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Galena, Ohio Posts: 1,250 OS: WinXP SP3	Re: 87 s10 wont start MEN................what more can you expect with someone who won't ask for directions when he's lost?? Mack1 knows his stuff and pointed you in the right direction. The ground on any electric circuit is very important but we won't get into that discussion unless asked. Thank you, zravensxdreamx, for coming back and letting the forum know how you progressed with your problem. SABL