My Truck Won't Go--Update

["Linda B. Merims" <lbm@naisp.net>]

First, I want to thank everybody who sent in suggestions and commiserations.
I gather that many people on Ridecamp "share my pain," and understand
the frustration of a marginal flaw that creates chronic, difficult-to-diagnose
electrical problems with their trucks.

The truck is now in the shop.  These guys have taken care of this truck
for ten years, including seven years for the previous owner, and they
are my best bet for a solution.  (I've given up on the local Chevy dealer.)
They take good care of the truck because they are all hoping I will sell
it to them when I finally decide to part with it. :->  (The body on
this thing is in extremely good shape for a truck this old in the
Northeast.  The previous owners maintained it religiously, kept it
garaged and only took it out to do long distance hauling of horses
between Massachusetts and their TB farms in Maryland and New Mexico.
It's an '86 with only 133,000 REAL miles on it, and the only rot in
the body is on the driver's side door bottom and adjacent cab base.
The shop guys describe it as a "very clean truck.")

Late breaking news:  the tow guy discovered a very serious fuel line
leak when he tilted the truck to load it onto the flatbed tow truck.
There was a whole damned *puddle* of gasoline underneath the shield
on the flatbed truck bed!  So, we're probably dealing with multiple
simultaneous system failure here (electrical AND fuel).

"sherman" <shermano@prodigy.net> wrote:

>Hi Linda:  I'm not going to cover Alternator, Battery, or Regulator.  They
>probably have all been replaced by now. Right?!

Alternator, starter, and battery:  yes.  I gather (Hoynes) that the
voltage regular in an '86 GMC is incorporated into the alternator, and
thus ought to have been replaced when the alternator was replaced.
But, who really knows?  Battery cables--No.  Neither (starter/alternator)
dealer service ticket indicates that they also replaced any cables).

>Do not assume the engine rebuilders
>did not pinch a wire.  It may have just taken 33,000 miles to wear through
>the plastic coating...

Just the thought of one wire somewhere in that maze having worn through
the plastic coating makes me shudder in fear.

>Remember that trailer brake actuator is hot
>all the time and takes a little battery power, but nothing that would drain
>a battery even in a week of sitting unused in the driveway. So if you have a
>separate wire for the trailer brakes, remove it temporarily.

Interesting idea, and I'm not sure it is something that the shop guys
would think of.  I'll give them a call and mention it as a possibility.

>...GMs
>have a fusible link on the positive post.  That is a piece of wire on the
>positive battery post about a foot long that goes to a connector and on into
>the wiring harness.  If there is a loose connection at that connector, about
>one foot from the battery, it will cause poor charging and intermittent
>starting and low battery indicator. This fusible link is designed to "open",
>or act like a blown fuse when too much current is drawn from the battery. If
>this happens, you will have to replace it, (the link).

You know, I just noticed that extra wire on the positive post day-before-
yesterday when I was studying the battery.  I was wondering what it was!
There is also an extra wire coming off the negative post.  What's that
for?

>Do you want to sell your truck?  Does it have a full-sized
>bed?

Yup.  '86 2500 HD Sierra Classic.  454 V8, 400 tranny that shifts like
silk, 3:73 rear axle.  Regular cab.  Full bed.  No rust in bed.
Red and White.  Even the original paint is in pretty good shape.
2WD, though, not 4WD.

But sorry, you'll have to get in line behind all the guys at this shop.

I've noticed that, at 46, most guys are far more interested in my
truck than they are in me ;-)

I'll keep you all posted on developments.  Closest guess wins a prize!
(I am sole judge and arbiter of what qualifies as "closest".)

Linda B. Merims
lbm@naisp.net
Massachusetts, USA