Help 1971 Chevy C10 in pain

[virgilfarlow]

We just bought a very rough 1971 C10 pickup the motor has been changed it was a standard now its a automatic. Was running when we brought it home, then that changed. It would start take us where we were going but when you shut it off and went to restart it no way, it wouldn't start back. Tonight I drove it to work after putting a brand new battery in it ,all seemed fine, when I left work 11p.m. it lost power then died and would not restart, I had to spend 50 bucks on a tow truck. It wants to run and be born again I just know it but my mechanical skills are not the greatest between my wife and myself we thought with a little help we could pull it off. Anyones got any helpful tips or suggestions we are all ears. Thanks guys

[Longhorn Man]

welcome to the boards.
I'm moving this to the correct forrum, you had it in the suburban section.
what exactly is it doing?

[BigDaddyDave]

Welcome to the board from NC.

[70GMCer]

Welcome to the board. It could be your Alternator not charging. Also, I'm not sure if the 71 models had the internal or external regulator. Either way, While the engine is running, disconnect the positive battery cable. If the truck stops running, you have a charging problem and may not be charging the battery as you drive. This is one of many ideas that will pop up on here for you to check. Again, welcome to the site.

[virgilfarlow]

Now all its doing is one click, then a low wineing sound, so pretty much nothing. Do you think it could be the starter wires, this is the wife I'm the fixer, don't know to much about trucks though, but once I changed a starter on a car and the ground wire got off some how and the car would do nothing. I can pretty much take things off and replace them if I know what it is I need to replace. Thanks for the welcome and help

[49m]

I would test the altenator. try jumping it from anther car that is runing and see if it will start then. If so your altenator is not charging your new battery

[OrangeCrush1970]

If you can make it to AutoZone or Advanced Auto Parts, they'll check the battery and alternator for you...It would probably be a good idea to get a new voltage regulator, too just to take that out of the equation. They are only about $12 bucks. If it's external, it may be located on the back of the radiator support just behind your left headlight...basically on the opposite side of the battery. Good luck, hope you get her started again-

[Blue'72]

Welcome from Washington! The click indicates that the solenoid is getting power and the wine is the starter motor wanting to turn. It sounds like it's not getting enough power to the starter. The wires could be corroded, loose, weak, broken, or the battery could be weak. Check to see if the battery cables are sealed to the battery connector ends, or if they are stripped and have add on connectors "bolted" on. If there is any copper visible on the end of the wire, there's a good possibility that corrosion has set into the wire and causing too much resistance. I chased this same problem down years ago and ended up replacing battery, cables, starter, and solenoid. I think the problem was actually the smaller wire that came off the positive battery cable and didn't have a very good connection with the rest of the wiring. Check the ground on the negative cable and also look for good ground straps from the engine to the frame. It might be as simple as a bad ground. It's important to have at least one copper ground strap securely connected from the engine to the frame.

Good luck!

[PanelDeland]

I also had the cable problem.It was corroded on the inside of the insulation.It was bad enough the wire ends inside the cable would make sometimes and not make others.I chased it for over a year and replaces a cable because the end was bad.That solved my problem.

[wasteaway]

All the suggestions are sound and basic and should help you track down the problem. One thing I would add is to make sure you get a charge on that new battery of yours. If, in fact, it hasn't been charging due to a faulty sytem in your truck, leaving it "dead" for an extended period of time will likely shorten its life considerably.

[Huck]

Check to see if the motor to frame ground wire is in place--should be on the rear of the pass head/valve cover to the firewall or frame. Your motor ground is essential to good starting. With the motor running, see if you have magnatism at the rear of the altinator but putting a screw driver near the rear bearing---a charging altinator will create magnetism ---but every advance auto, auto zone, O'reilleys, will check out your altinator for free!! Let us know what you find---Huck

[virgilfarlow]

Thanks for all the sugestions, dealing with rain here soon as its gone will check out everything everyone sugested, thanks will keep you posted on progress, heres a few pictures of our monster just to give you an ideal of what we have to work with

[olblue60@aol.com]

Welcome from Maryland. Also get yourself a testlight or a $10 voltage tester.

[RCbowtie69]

welcome from Thomasville N.C. looks like you have agood ideal what to look at.This site rocks

[virgilfarlow]

Tommorow I look at the truck, how can I tell if the motor is locked up? I looked under the hood and found a couple puddles of black oil, not good. Does anyone have any sites I could go to get information on my truck? Here are some more pics the drivers side is where the oil is. Also I tried to crank it again cause you never know and it makes a clunk noise and the hot cable going to the starter jumped and when I felt it it was hot. I"m thinking if the motor is locked up the starter ain't going to do much of nothing except maybe what it did? I have a few ideals so I'll jump back on here tommorow evening and let everyone know if I need a motor or starter or what.

[Bob 68327]

Put a socket and breaker bar on the crank pulley and see if it will turn. Hope this helps.

[dan42]

Whoa, that's a gnarly crease in the passenger side door!

[chrislehr]

Welcome from Austin, TX. Ask away, this is one of the MOST helpful and inspiring boards for a vehicle I have ever found. Listen to people with lots of posts, they have tried more than you!

[72lb4x4]

Never heard back from you on whether the problem was fixed or not. We always like to know that stuff, and that you are hopefully doing well. Let us know...

[Wreckless_71]

I just recently had asimilar problem and the first thing that came to ;mind was battery problems so I worked on it charged it up, put new cables on it and all... still had the problem. Then I figured out that it was hard starting because of a timing issue. It was to advanced the starter didn't have enough uuumph to roll it over. so it acted dead. Just a thought. But in this case deffinitley check the alternater and all connections, if it's just dieing. the sympyoms lead me to believe that there are some charging problems...

[Andy4639]

I noticed you have the HEI distrubutor in it. Check the module inside it also. They go bad with no warning. It's the black half moon peice under the rotor with the small wires coming from it.