1979 chev truck wont turn over

[c10 custom]

hi guys i have a 1979 chev truck was driving it and it quit and it wont turn over now the fusible link to the starter has power to it all the way to the junction block on the firewall to test to see if the starter solenoid is bad do you try and arc the big terminal to the small terminal and tried tapping the starter and there was no action out of it at all the lights come on and gauges move so im not sure if it could be the ignition switch or not any help would be great thank you

[mopar346]

Got a test light and check power to the small wire on the solenoid while someone is holding the key in the start position. If it is a standard make sure it is in neutral. If it has power then it's a bad solenoid. If no power start tracing backwards to the ignition switch til you find the culprit.

But a solenoid will not cause it to quit. Check the wire going to the alternator to see that it hasn't burn out. If memory serve, positive cable goes to the solenoid, wire to alternator on the same lug which supplies power to the rest of the vehicle.


The other thing is make sure the battery isn't stone dead (alternator not charging causing engine to run off of battery until it sucks every bit of energy out of it and then quits and wont say nothing) I have seen this drive experienced guys crazy.


Some vehicles feed the electrical system through the amp/volt gauge, a bad gauge doesn't pass energy to the rest of the vehicle and it quits and want say nothing.

Long and the short of it, test the battery for sufficeint charge, trace power back into the rest of the vehicle starting at the big lug on the solenoid, then out of the ignition switch to the small terminal on the solenoid.

Good luck!

[motornut]

how long have you owned it,drive it much?
have you pulled the stater and checked it alone?
how about the wires going to the starter r they ok?
baked at all?
heat shields in place?
seen them seize up and not work from rust keepin the arm from kicking out

[mopar346]

The quit while driving is the wild card. Is it related to the no start or not???

Did you find out anything further?

[c10 custom]

hi guys i have no power at the little terminal on the solenoid i tested the nuetral saftey switch and it has power on one wire when park and nuetral are selected on the gearshift and my ignition switch has power on the purple wire when turned to the run position and the blue wire has power to so im wondering what do i test next any help would be great thank you

[mopar346]

Not sure the color but do you get power out of the ignition switch when you throw the key to the start position? If so then trace it to the bulkhead connector and through the firewall to the engine side and down to the solenoid, you will find a break in the power stream somewhere. If you are concerned about the neutral safety switch pull the connector and jump it, power should go through the switch in park or neutral.

If not power from ignition with key in the start position (goes on and off when you trigger the switch, then I would suspect the switch. Power in, power out to accessories when in run and power to solenoid when you are against the springloaded start position. If not, bad switch.

[c10 custom]

i have power to the switch in park and nuetral and no power in drive and reverse whitch is normal but the switch i have 12 volts and then the one wire i have negative power with key turned on then when key is turned it goes to 12 volts so that should be working but i just want to clarifiy the lock cyclinder is the key assembly and the ignition switch is the electrical connector at the bottom of the steering column and has like 6 or 7 wires not sure where to go next any help would be great

[motornut]

Originally Posted by c10 custom

i have power to the switch in park and nuetral and no power in drive and reverse whitch is normal but the switch i have 12 volts and then the one wire i have negative power with key turned on then when key is turned it goes to 12 volts so that should be working but i just want to clarifiy the lock cyclinder is the key assembly and the ignition switch is the electrical connector at the bottom of the steering column and has like 6 or 7 wires not sure where to go next any help would be great

that switch also turns on the reverse lights
from what i can see power is blue
back up is light green
yellow/purple related to starter

[2002on22s]

I'd take a look at the timing chain, esp if it laid down on you like that while you were driving