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Electrical weirdness

R

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Hello Again, I have a 1988 GMC Suburban, I think it is? I bought it as that, My Vin #Say other wise may be a Cross over model these are the first ten of the dash plate vin #(1GK16K7K) getting to the Point.
I have Had an intermittent electrical problem It seems to be coming from either the fuse box harness, fire wall junction, or the harness near the distributor.
The symptoms are as fallows; after running for 20 min. if I shut it off it wont always start right off. Sometimes if I move the column shifter it will start. When that doesn't work I let it sit for a while then it will start.
Other times I have to wiggle the wire coming down off the junction terminal on the upper firewall with the fuseable link at the point where it enters the loom, or I have to wiggle the larger red wires going through the firewall junction.
It will start after I do one of these.
Other things are when I touch the brakes my radio will go off momentarily while the brake is pressed and some times my turn signals are slow.
The engine performance is also effected. it seems to loose power when this acts up.
I have replaced the ignition switch on the column, I have rerouted the stereo memory wire. I also have dome light issues. and the horn quit working.
I had a 82 olds toro which had similar issues and I put a heat shield on the starter solenoid which helped, but I don't think these are related. I could be wrong.
Has anyone ran into this or a similar situation before?
This rig is stock, excluding the Pioneer cd player and the after market cruise control which is disabled.
This has got to be one of the weirdest wiring problems I have ever ran in to!
the body style is the 1982 to 87 but the vin shows it as a 89, it's the same as the 87 I used to make my 77 GMC Panel truck.
I'm thinking it's a combination of problems.
Any help would be nice thank you for your time DDO :mad:
 
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Check your battery cables. Make sure they are good at the starter and the neg to the frame. Also check your neutral safety switch. Other than that it sounds like a harness issue. I would check in the column.
 
Thanks 'drabo'
I should have mentioned, New cables. both Ground and Positive.
and I even made a new engine to body cable. and a new turn signal switch.
the alt tests good also.


I'm thinking about the connector through the firewall being the problem It may have been over amped at one time in the past.
but I'm not sure, there's no sign of over heated wire insulation.

but thanks again keep the ideas coming
 
Got part of it!!
Drabo Thanks again for the feed back, your reply got me thinking.
My ignition switch has never worked right, its always been a little off, be bore I replaced it and after.
I decided to tear in to it to see if when I replaced the turn signal switch if maybe I pinched a wire putting it back together and it's now rearing it's ugly head. Well I hadn't so I decided to check the cam and the spring for the steering lock was broken, so discarded that and started checking fit on the ignition cam and gear adjusted the switch placement. Every thing worked fine un assembled.
As I was assembling every thing I would check component and mechanical operation, along with fighting the hi low head lamp cam and every time I put the collar which holds the turn signal switch the ignition cam would hang up, and wouldn't go into accessory position. With the collar off no problem, on, it would hang up!
As I said to my self What the f? so I looked a little closer. I'll be the small spring which holds tension between the cam and rack on the ignition was upside down. so I inverted it and 'Sweet it works!' it fits better to! I never dissembled this part of the column, so it wasn't one of my stupid errors. I would never do any thing like that, I also have swamp land for sale.

I found another problem as I was reassembling the column a wire from the wiper switch had been pinched in the bottom screw holding the collar on.
I soldered (heat shrink tubing is great in these places)and reassembled the everything and seems to work OK now. Still no horn, next week end I'll try to get to that, hopefully its just a loose wire.
By the way where is the horn relay on these years. I don't see it in my diagrams, might not be looking hard enough though.:rolleyes:

Thanks again Drabo, I'm glad you made me second guess my self.
Now if I could just get it to quit smoking, ah that's another story:D
 
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Oh a tool I use for installing turn signal switches is an old single piece antenna.
I cut off the ball on the end put a hook in it and it help's to feed the turn wiring loom down the column. no need to disassemble more than you need to.:cool:
 
I forget if the 88 has two fuse boxes one inside one under the hood should be in the under hood fuse box if it has two. If not around the firewall or under the dash near the between the bulkhead and the steering column.
If you check your wiring you should be looking for light green with a black line that goes to the relay and there will be an orange wire coming from it to the relay, under the dash. You have the old body style on Suburban and 1 ton and up UN till 1991 but on the 1/2 ton to 3/4 ton had the new body style in 88 to 90.
 
Thanks all
Auto zone shows a common 5 blade square relay, this could be a suggested part, but it also has a bunch of OEM part#s 12088572 ; 14100455 ; 1626239 ; 20342500 ; 20499299 ; 20541669 ; 25520198 ; 25530733,
I cant see it.that doesn't mean its not there,
This is where Autozone say it is:
"Front seating area, driver side, driver side of steering column, mounted behind instrument panel"
I'll have to dig out my 87 dash harness and look it.
:mad:
I'll take picks if I find it and post them this week end. wish me luck:rolleyes:
'Pontiac1976' thank you for the feed back. this is the last year of the single twist'o'flex fuse box under the dash square body
 
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Well it did it again turned the key and nothing, no idiot lights nothing. Moved the shifter and bingo it started. the pernundal indicator seems to be worn can this peace( the collar) be replaced any more, along with the arm.
It looks to me as if I need to park this thing and remove the column and rebuild it.
Does this sound right to you all?
 
Well if you have a 91 then it's not the same, but it it was a 90 it should be ok .
As seen by me, Sorry on the list. Kool that a nice little kit.
 
Thanks I guess it's a dealer item.
Maybe I'll swap out my 87 column in my panel and retro fit the caprice into the panel truck.
What I would like to find is a lower piece with out the automatic shifter. I was hoping to find a good floor shifter, Mr.Gasket, Hurst, or even a Camaro or Tranz-am.
My favorite was the Hurst dual gate:D but I've never seen one for a 4 speed auto.
The 87 column would be my best bet if I can't find the parts for my 88.:(
 
more dang problems

Ok it's not the neutral safety switch.

Next step.
There may be it's a short in the charging system?

Alternator checks good.

I'm going to rewire the wires coming of the alternator then chase it back to the firewall , (I've never seen so much fuse-able link in a system before).:confused:

Also still no Horn or dome, courtesy, lights.:mad:
I'll check this after the charging system.

One other Item of interest pushing the brakes still cause a flicker in the system.:mad:
 
fixed

Ok ready for this. intermittent electrical problem is fixed.
new batt cables ignition switch, turn signal and neutral safety switch checked out. rebuilt steering column.
All these things checked out, I even replaced the wires on the terminal block.
As my shop teacher 35 years ago said "Start form the beginning the battery first"
I checked the cables neg first because that was the closest body to engine grounds. there OK.
now the Positive Cable, wait that's loose. No way, Yep, that's it apparent when I installed the cable I tightened it to the back nut on the solenoid.which worked loose and created the intermittent open, or the cable lug was teghtend to the insulator and then worked loose.

I removed the cable tightened the nut to stud then reinstalled the cable and power lead then checked all the other wires and found a melted wire coming from a block sensor. re-ran that wire.
I started the darn thing and it runs great now.:D
Here's another example of keep it simple start with the basics.
Can you say 'hay McFly!':eek:
If I could feel more stupid :o
Well may be I could like where does the gas go in?:confused:
Never mind, Thanks for all the feed back.:)
It's good to be humble.:cool:
 
The Best Part :

Is not only that you kept at it and didn't give up but you also came back and shared the solution to the problem .

All this you had fun with , is SOP on the beater Barrio Bombers and Hoopty Ghetto rides I save from the crusher ~ you can go crazy trying to find the little things wrong .

Didja ever get the horn sorted out ? .
 
I bought a 95 suburban with 146k miles without problem, until it had 151k miles on it. Now everything seems to go wrong. Transmission is out nearly altinator played drums, but I had to buy a new battery and now I have to leave the problem starts using a lot of corrections, as there is no code for this player while the car is that can do is replace the parties to resolve the problem.
 
Sorry to have been gone so long School and state agency's Driving nuts, Got a new Computer out of them, although it's not mine until I graduate though.

Yes, Bad horns, I jumped them to the bat and they take a second to run up and then the sound like a strangled calf.
I've got a set off a SHO I my put on.
Thanks for all the feed back
 
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I glad you found your problem got it fixed. :D bad horns, come down to bad + going to the horn or bad - to the rad support most times or the horn rusted to much in side. Good luck
 
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