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85 Chevy s-10: won't start, suspect elec probs now

6K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  EOD Guy 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi, new forum member who needs help and advice.

First, I am NOT a a car guru, I am a begginer. I can do some stuff like: totally rebuild a honda scooter, change oil in the car, check and add fluids, put in a car stereo, put in spark plugs\cables, air filter, install a battery, check fuses, stuff like that.

I have an 85 chevy s-10 v6 2.8L 4x4 (carburated) that is making me crazy.
It was working great, and overnight it won't start (fire up really) anymore.

I now suspect something electrical (ignition). It's cranking (battery is good, starter is working) but no fire up.

The truck had a tune up as well: New sparks, spark cables, new rotor\dist, regular oil changes, tranny fluid changes, new air filter, new vaccum lines for the carb, new PCV valve, new fuel filter. Everything was operating great (except for a little rough starting when cold which I gather now is normal for these).

I pulled the sparks out and cleaned and dried them (thinking they were gummed up with gas\oil - they were). Put them back in and still no fire up. No ignition?

I suspect elec\ignition now after ruling out it's getting fuel and the battery and starter are good.
I may have screwed something up.

The only thing I did last was (had no real reason to do it really, just wanted to):

there are these two plugs that interlock and have two prongs each located ehind the air diverter valve. Each has two prongs and a there's a plug where the center distrib spark cable plugs into.
What are these? what are they for? my haynes manual says nothing about it. They have two wires leading off each plug. Inbetween each connector is where the center spark cable connects. On the plugs the wires are: Brown\pink on one, tan\red on the other.
All I did was put pop them off (lock tab on either side) and put contact cleaner on them, then popped them back on.
Could this be related to no ignition all of a sudden?
I may have screwed up here.

The other thing I did wanted to put contact cleaner on (again, no real reason to do it) was this odd 3-pronged plug that resides just right of the heater blower motor on the firewall (when looking at the engine from the front of the truck).

It looks like a relay of some sort. Has springs\coils on one side the other ends lead to the 3 prongs for the plug).
Well i unplugged this too to put contact cleaner on it - I found out that it hangs there with nothing holding the prongs but the plug itself. When I unplugged it, the prongs fell out and I had to put it back, then attach the plug.
i don't think this 3-pronged piece is the cause, but I thought I'd mention everything I did last.

This model s-10 (1985 carbed, mech fuel pump) really is quite basic. Could there be a fuse that could have blown somewhere?

I guess all that it could be otherwise is a fuel pump (mechanical in this old 85 model) is gone, or ignition coil (which i have no idea how to check or where it is).

I may have to have it towed to a shop (dead in front of the house) but I wanted to see if I could fix this myself first.

Any help on what i may have done, what these described problem parts are, or what I might be able to do?

thanks and happy holidays,
joe
 
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#7 ·
ANITA said:
Help I Changed My Timing Chain
Put Everything Back Now I Bought A Coil Done Everything My Truck Wont Start There Is Fire Threw Spark Plugs And To Coil But No Fire Threw The Coil Out Plz Help Me Asap
There Is Fire Threw Spark Plugs****** < You will not have this if you did not have this>****** And To Coil But No Fire Threw The Coil Out

check for fuel and if you have that verify timing... you did put it back together correctly ................... right?
 
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