Unconnected wire and not starting

Tiny
OLDENTER62
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 CHEVROLET S-10
  • 4 CYL
  • 58,000 MILES
My truck does not even crank for starting and there is no noise at all when attempting to start the motor.
I have a cream colored wire coming from a wire harness between the battery and coolant reservoir. This wire gets apart from the harness at about the bottom of the battery, is about 15-inch long, and has a fuse about 3 inches before its loose end. Maybe the previous owner put this wire and I do not know if it has to be connected somewhere, end if it has to, I appreciate information being told to where it connects to.
Before tightening the battery contacts there was a click when attempting to start the motor, but no cranking, and now, as I said there is no noise at all.
The battery is one year old and the voltage is 12.9 volts.
Maybe I should check the battery and solenoid, too I only have an inexpensive multi-meter and this s-10 motor is very cluttered at the bottom, but maybe I still can be told of something I can do. And about some inexpensive tools to buy, please.
Sunday, August 2nd, 2020 AT 4:08 PM

17 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
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Good evening,

I attached a wiring diagram of the starting system to see if we can narrow the area of failure for this issue.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

Do you have a test light? If not, the voltmeter is fine for the checks.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-fuse

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-an-electrical-relay-and-wiring-control-circuit

Can you post a picture of this wire so I can see it?

Roy
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Sunday, August 2nd, 2020 AT 4:25 PM
Tiny
OLDENTER62
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Dear ASEMASTER6371;
I have been devoting most of my time for my pickup's problem.
I have read thoroughly what the 3 links you mentioned go to, and I understood them, but most of my time was spent about the loose cream wire I mentioned. Actually it is a PIAA LR-7 light harness kit installed with six wires either going to or coming from the kit's connector, and it is not only the loose cream wire that I do not know where it connects to, but there is also an unconnected loose black wire of about the same length as the cream one, but my headlights work.
My last effort was to try to put a jumping wire to the solenoid, but I could not do it and it got late. God willing tomorrow I am going to remove the exhaust manifold, if possible.
If it happens you have something to say, it is welcome.
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Monday, August 3rd, 2020 AT 10:00 PM
Tiny
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Okay, got it.

Can you please post a picture of the wire for me to see and its location?

What checks have you done with the relay?

Roy
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:22 AM
Tiny
OLDENTER62
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  • 10 POSTS
I have not testes the relay with an attempt to crank the engine. If that is necessary I could get my sister to help me do that.
The starting system relay and its metal pins looked in good condition. I only did some relay checks with my multi-meter, and I guess I have bad news.
There is no continuity between the metal pins 85 and 86 of the relay.
With the ignition switch on the "on" position I did not get any voltage neither between terminals 85 and ground nor between terminal 86 and ground.
With the ignition switch on the "on" position I jumped terminals 87 and 30 with a piece of wire. Nothing notorious happened, (maybe a very very low noise sometimes. Then, with the jumping wire still in place I took out the ignition key and put again got the ignition switch in the "on" position. Again, nothing notorious happened, maybe just the very very weak noise sometimes.
If you have suggestions or advice on what to do next, I am open and willing to continue.

I spent much time and I could not send a picture of the loose wire, but I still have hope.
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Wednesday, August 5th, 2020 AT 6:24 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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Okay, got it.

Can you please post a picture of the loose wire you see so I can see the location and the wire itself? So I can go to a diagram and see if I can find out what it functions and where it goes.

Roy
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Thursday, August 6th, 2020 AT 4:57 AM
Tiny
OLDENTER62
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Do you know if pictures taken with a laptop camera can be inserted into my 2CarPros website replies? I have two pictures of the wire taken with my laptop camera I think since last Sunday. I could get them to a USB stick but I have not been able to insert the pictures to my replies.
Now I am trying to see if it is possible to insert pictures into my replies with my cell phone.

But you do not have to mind this? It is my work.
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Thursday, August 6th, 2020 AT 12:00 PM
Tiny
OLDENTER62
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This time I worried too much and lost my mind with my pickup not starting.
Today I felt like checking a push switch hanging from the steering column that a mechanic installed because the solenoid was not activating the cranking contacts most of the times,
One wire going to the push switch was broken at the switch. I Attached the wire and the motor started right away. No need to connect the cream or white wire.
Thank you for having asked me if I had made checks on the starting relay so I did not proceeded to remove the exhaust manifold that would have been a waste of time. And thank you for having bore with me for almost a week.
If I have another trouble with my pickup I hope we can meet again in the internet.
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Friday, August 7th, 2020 AT 7:17 PM
Tiny
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You are welcome.

Always glad to help.

Roy
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Saturday, August 8th, 2020 AT 5:41 AM
Tiny
OLDENTER62
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Hi ASEMASTER 6371,

It happens that my vehicle has been starting and shutting off about 15% of the time for some months. Today, due to persecution from voices that I hear, functionally real, I did not crank the motor more times to start the motor and come back from church but left the pickup there to do something about it.
I just have been putting gasoline additives for cleaning the whole fuel system but this has not solved the problem.
Besides buying a device I do not know its name for helping the battery, in case it helps, I only have the idea of increasing the idle speed a little bit, but I have never done any work on the motor and I do not know how to do that, One thing I know is that when I add the 200 amps from my battery charger the battery, the motor has started but that has been only a few times so far.
When the motor shutting off, waiting six minutes makes the motor start most of the times and if it does not, waiting the six minutes repeatedly makes the motor finally start. I have never left the pickup with discharged battery for the last 10 month's.
So I am willing to start working on this problem if you give me suggestions or advice on what I can try, but I also need to know how to perform any work on the motor.
I hope you have something to say and reply.
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 11:18 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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Okay, first thing I would do is replace the battery with a new battery. Low voltage will cause all those issues.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-load-test

There are no fuel additives that have any effect on cleaning. With how long it has sit, I would drop the tank and flush out the tank and replace the pump as well.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-an-electric-fuel-pump

After the battery is replaced, let me know how it is.

Roy
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 3:51 PM
Tiny
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Before replacing the battery, I am not sure that the problem would be solved, let's say, for at least a year, and since now the infliced disabling impairment on my mind has been ongoing for more than nine hours, and also because of the 40-year prorated impairment on me, I cannot have the clarity for changing the spark plugs, and so I guess I have to first buy a battery protector and go from there.
And because of not having the clarity for changing the spark plugs, It seems that, before taking the pickup for a tune-up, nothing else can be done. Nevertheless, you are always welcome for a reply.
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:50 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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Without the proper amount of power from the battery, nothing will work correctly.

Replace the battery first to be sure the systems can work. Then we can continue.

Roy
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Sunday, August 16th, 2020 AT 4:45 AM
Tiny
OLDENTER62
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  • 10 POSTS
Extremely bad health news.
My pickup battery reads 12.7 volts and with the engine running initially 14.1 and then more. I am not arguing, I am open to why a new battery is better and worth trying.
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Sunday, August 16th, 2020 AT 8:51 AM
Tiny
OLDENTER62
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Extremely bad health news
My pickup battery reads 12.7 volts. And with the engine running initially 14.1 and then more. I am not arguing, I am open to why a new battery is better and worth trying.
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Sunday, August 16th, 2020 AT 8:51 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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About 2 posts ago, you stated you needed to add 200 amps from a charger. That is what led me to this suggestion.

You never stated it was 12.7 volts at all. That is information I needed.

Going back to the starter relay, did you get power to the relay 86 with the key in the start position?

If you have no continuity between 86 and 85, the relay is no good and needs to be replaced.

Roy
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Sunday, August 16th, 2020 AT 8:57 AM
Tiny
OLDENTER62
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  • 10 POSTS
Hi,
Bad news again. I apologize.
I continued to drive my pickup, and about one time out of ten the motor was not starting and I was waiting six minutes for cranking the engine again to get it started.
But I got poor or lost my judgement again and the engine was overheating. I even drove the pickup a little without water due to a radiator leak, probably because the water pump failed to do its job.
I have the radiator out. And I am also going to replace the thermostat, and, at this time the air duct assembly and the radiator shroud are removed, and the water pump is easier to access.
My question is if there is a way to check the water pump. The coolant in the reservoir is at normal level and it has been at normal level since before the engine started to overheat and I guess if I crank the engine the in taken air would not be filtered, but maybe I could get the motor started for a few seconds provided that his way I could find out if the water pump is working or not.
As always I can be told any information, advice or warning, and I appreciate all replies.
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Friday, September 4th, 2020 AT 10:23 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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The only way to check is to remove it and unbolt the back cover. Make sure the impeller is intact and turns.

Roy
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Friday, September 4th, 2020 AT 10:26 AM

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