Possible short or ignition issue.

[harvey85]

Okay I'm going to try and be as informative as possible and pray for some help. I bought an 85 C10 with a 305 a couple of weeks ago, ran fine with the exception of a shot impeller on the water pump and a bad power steering pump. Replaced both and she kicked over fine, no issues. When I went out the next day to bleed the power steering and brakes, I got nothing. No click no trying to turnover, nothing. So I pulled the battery and alternator and had them tested, alternator was good battery had 13 volts. Went home put them back in and she kicked over with no problem. Did what I had to do and called it a day. Went out the next day and same thing, so I pulled the starter had it tested and it was good. While I was there bought a new fuel pump got home threw everything back together and she kicked over no issues. Of course the next day I went out again and same issue, no click didn't attempt to rotate, just nothing. So I think I have a blown fusible link or a ground somewhere. The outstanding mechanic that owned it before me wired in a tachometer and did some well lets say shady stuff. My question is can anyone give me some guidance on tracing down the ground and how to test the fusible links to see if there blown. I am in between a rock and a hard place as I am deploying in about a month and need to drive it 60 miles south to store it while I'm gone, plus I'm pretty sure my wife thinks I'm sleeping with my truck. Any advice or guidance would be much appreciated.

[Dead Parrot]

If it works sometimes and not others, won't be a blown link. Likely suspects are a dying ignition switch or ignition linkage in the steering column. The sector<sp?> gear is a common fail. It is a plastic gear and the last tooth will shear off. So you will have power to everything but the starter selenoid. If this is the problem, you can wire around the igntion switch with a push button. On my 75, they were green wires. Yours may have different colors. You still need the key to turn the ignition power on, then the push button powers the starter selenoid.

[harvey85]

Anyone have a step by step guide for replacing the ignition switch? I can see the actuating rod isn't moving when I turn the key but I have never dealt with a steering column. Tried dropping it by removing the two bolts under the dash and I was lowering it down noticed the gear indicator started moving with the column, which makes sense because it's still connected. Haynes manual doesn't provide much guidance and I really don't want to break something else trying to replace an ignition switch.

[motornut]

a small star screw on the coloum
remove it to drop it

NSS could have two purple or yellow purple too

[harvey85]

Well turns out it wasn't the ignition switch. On a hunch went out and adjusted the tilt on the column and it kicks over every single time. Wish I would have thought of that two weeks ago. Taking it to my mechanic to have him fix it as I don't have the time to disassemble the thing. Thanks for all the help.
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