Burb electrical gremlins

[heffalump]

So I got in my suburban the other morning to go to work, started it, hit the brakes to take it outta park, the engine died and killed power to everything... turned switch off then back on and had power again, started truck up, hit brakes and truck died and lost all power again... did this repeatedly till I finally gave up and took wifes car to work..

Got home and started messing with it doin the same thing.. unplugged the brake light switch and it stopped, plugged it back in and still had power and truck ran drove fine.. fast forward a couple days to yesterday and it started showing its ass all over again but, now it does it regardless of wether the brake switch is plugged up or not..

Checked for bare wires under dash and hood, cleaned battery connections, checked starter wires and still cant figure it out.. any help or ideas?

 

[89Suburban]

It might be a fusible link staring to go.

 

[heffalump]

So now its gotten worse for no apparent reason.. when you turn switch to ON there's no power on the dash or radio headlights and taillights still work and bright as ever.. will not turn over or start.. turn switch to Acc and radio comes on and works fine.. did get truck to randomly start early but ran for a few seconds and died out now there is nothing when switch is on

 

[oneluckypops]

So now its gotten worse for no apparent reason.. when you turn switch to ON there's no power on the dash or radio headlights and taillights still work and bright as ever.. will not turn over or start.. turn switch to Acc and radio comes on and works fine.. did get truck to randomly start early but ran for a few seconds and died out now there is nothing when switch is on

kinda sounds like you have an ignition switch malfunctioning.

 

[chengny]

There are two main power leads into the cab - they are red. Both originate at the main terminal on the starter solenoid. Each of them has a fusible link that is located about 3 inches from that solenoid terminal.

The one that supplies power to the horn, hazards and exterior lighting (via the headlight switch) has no other fusible link.

The one that does not feed the exterior lighting (it goes to the fuse block and ignition switch) does have another fusible link. It is located right near the firewall junction block.

I would check both fusible links down in the area of the starter - and also the one at the firewall junction block.

If those fusible links prove to be intact, the next probable place where you might lose power to everything (except the lighting, horns, flasher, etc.) is the ignition switch.

Just take your meter and walk up the circuit until you find which component is not allowing power to pass.

 

[heffalump]

Update... found problem and she's fixed one of my starter wires had started to come apart but looked fine on the outside.. started checking the fuse links around starter and miraculously got power back, fired her up and started checking starter wires again and found that pulling on them killed engine... pulled them all off and examined each one individually and found the bad wire... cut it and put a new end on it and she fires right up everytime with no issues..

Kinda feel like a ******* for not seeing it right off... oh well better late than never I guess. ..

 

[chengny]

*******? I don't think so.

Let's see;

The initial post was at about noon.

The problem was system-wide (not an isolated component) - and the cause could've been in any number of places.

And, to further complicate the diagnostic, you had already inspected what - in the end -turned out to be the issue, and it appeared to be okay.

You asked no real questions, just provided two updates on the symptoms.

By 7 PM the problem you had it identified, repaired & tested as good.

Compared to some of the spoon feeding that goes on here, you're a frickin' genius! And most importantly, you did not just sit at the keyboard and whine for help - you went out and crawled under the truck. That's 90% of the battle.

 

[heffalump]

Thanks for the compliment, sittin around waiting really wasn't an option anyway.. this trucks my DD and I would rather take a swift kick in the ass over driving the wifes Eqiunox...

I spent at least an hour of that time drinking beer and cussing at the truck,.. come to think of it that probably helped...

 

[farmerchris]

usually how the fusible link burns out,wire feels soft outside is intact,you pull on it and come apart.hopefully when you fix it by putting a new end on it ,it meant that you splice in a new fusible link.without it in the circuit,any potential overload can heat up or burn wiring,causing a potential vehicle fire.that how they protect the system by melting under load.readily available at any part store.