What do I need to check? Truck will not start!
 

Good Morning, I was driving my 86 GMC and it was running great till it lost power. I pulled over to the side of the road and tied to restart it. After the second attempt it would not turn over at all! It acted as if it had a dead battery.
Battery had over 12 volts.
Fuses under the dash check to be good with a test light.
In the past when the ignition module went bad the motor would turn over but there was no spark from a plug wire. Now the engine will not turn over!
Horn works. Headlights work but the windows and locks will not activate.
New starter. How do I check it? Do I have to remove it to check it?
Could the ignition module on top of the steering column be out of adjustment?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Re: What do I need to check? Truck will not start!
 

fusible link

Re: What do I need to check? Truck will not start!
 

Bob, you mentioned a fusible link where might it be located? Thanks, Alex

Re: What do I need to check? Truck will not start!
 

Fusable links are usually in line between the battery and the alternator and battery and starter. Maybe one on the firewall. They are to protect the higher amperage circuits from a direct short.

Need to test where you have power with a test light. Be sure all connections (Positives and grounds) are clean and tight. I had some really odd stuff happen when my side post positive came loose.

Re: What do I need to check? Truck will not start!
 

If the electrical stuff checks out, might be the sector gear in the steering column. It is plastic and if the last tooth breaks, it won't move the ignition switch enough to start. Another suspect is the pot metal rack that the sector gear engages. If that breaks, nothing happens when you turn the key. The sector gear gets turned by the key and is that deep into the column.

Check the electrical stuff first. Digging into the column is a PITA.

Make sure the ignition switch on the column didn't come loose.

Long shot - check the alternator. Might have developed a short that took a fusible link out. Or a wire from the alt to the junction box shorted to the block and did same.

Re: What do I need to check? Truck will not start!
 

Steak and Drinks for,
Old Rusty C10, 400/400, and Dead Parrot for helping me get my 86 GMC back on the road. It was the fusible link that mounts on the top of the firewall and then ties into two wires. Because the fusible ling was burned all the way to the joining lug I replaced the single link with two fusible links and it came alive again!

Again, Thanks for the responses.

Re: What do I need to check? Truck will not start!
 

Glad it is moving again. Next project is to find the reason the link blew. They typically don't 'just fail'. Most likely there was a short to ground somewhere.

Fusible links do come in sizes. Make sure the ones you used are the same size as the old ones.