Dies while driving

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412c4n3

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Posts
3
Reaction score
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Location
Las Cruces NM
First Name
John
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
1500
Engine Size
4.3
Hi peeps,
I recently bought an 86 gmc Sierra classic for 800 dollars. The truck had slow crank starting issue and the previous owner claimed the truck would also die while driving. I replaced the fuel pump and battery the day I bought the truck. After replacing the fuel pump and battery the truck would start very quickly. So I figured I had solved the slow crank (battery). Also the truck engine would run after a few cranks instead of 4 or5 tries (fuel pump?). Next day I'm driving just after sunset whenmy truck turns off. Then it won't start. So I wait to the morning and gostart my truck and drive it home. The truck would die once or twice a dayafter that(which is what tthe previous owner claimed) and sometimes wouldn't startfor a few minutes or not at all. Since then I have replaced the ignition wires, spark plugs, distributor cap, rotor, ICM, pick up coil, ignition coil, and the ignition switch that is located under the instrument cluster. Other than the slow crank issue (solved by new battery installation) The same problem exists to this day as when I first bought it (multiple tries start and dies while driving). It's been a few months and I noticed the truck will not start when the weather is cold or if the weather is humid. I live in the desert so humid doesn't happen often but in the winter most of the day it is below fifty (which seems to be cold enough to not start). I also noticed the volt meter in the instrument cluster reads low, just above 8. On warmer days it reads around 10 (while the truck is running reads just above 13. And if I kill the engine with the key switch the meter reads just below 13 and very slowly falls to either 8 or 10 depending on the weather conditions. Also it starts easy right after key switch shutdown but may not start after an hour). On the days the volt meter reads higher, the truck starts easily and will drive until the weather cools or the sun gets covered by the clouds for too long (lol I know that seems ridiculous but I swear it lol). Since then i have noticed the 2 red wires that go from the positive battery terminal to the statrer have brittle and broken insulation and will cause a spark (short circuit) when wiggled. The red wires are surrounded by a metal tube which guides the 2 red wires from the positive battery terminal to the starter and when the 2 red wires are wiggled the contact between the bare red wire and the guide tube cause a spark next to the starter. It's a v6 hei with esc and no ecm. Also it has a 500 carburetor edlbrach(sp?), not sure why so big lol? i I have concluded the truck needs to be rewired but I would like an extra opinion. Thanks for the help :)
 

412c4n3

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Posts
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Las Cruces NM
First Name
John
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
1500
Engine Size
4.3
Forgot to mention the distributor reads 12 v at batt
 

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