ignition wiring problem? truck wont do anything when the key is turned over

[gold84gmc]

ok i was on my way home from work tonight...i left before it was warmed up all the way and went not even half a mile down the road and looked at my gauges...the temp gauge was all the way to the right, my tach gauge was all the way around and my amp gauge was also all the way to the right...(i have an electric fan, so i turned it on when i saw the temp gauge and noticed that it was running faster than normal) so i pulled over and turned the truck off...tried to start it again and now it doesnt do anything when i turn the key, usually a light in the fuel gauge turns on when the key is turned to on, now it doesnt turn on and the engine doesnt crank over...i noticed that it smelt like hot wire inside the cab, but didnt see anything wrong, my dad said the alternator mightve went bad, i think theres something wrong with the ignition wiring in the steering column. does anyone know what might be wrong?

[choptop]

It almost sounds like the ignition switch hung in the crank position. Id replace it and test the starter before I started into the wiring unless you see any obvious problems.

[gold84gmc]

how do i test the starter?...i thought you test it while cranking the engine

[VileZambonie]

Check your fusible links and then the wires near the passenger side manifold and rear valve cover area for chafing.

[choptop]

how do i test the starter?...i thought you test it while cranking the engine

Everyone has different opinions a circumstances for this answer. It take about a half hour for me to get to town from my house. Id pull the starter and take it with me when I went to town to get the ignition switch. They can test the starter there, and the battery unless you have a load tester, and when I return home I'll have three of the possible problems isolated. It beats going to town for a switch just to have to go back and have the starter tested, or battery for that matter. Also, if the starter did hang in, youll know pretty quick upon inspection of the flywheel, and starter gear. I can drop a starter on any of my trucks in ablout five minutes, but like I said, circumstances differ for some. Definately check the fusible links and the other wiring for obvious problems like Vile said, you may find something else you need to pick up as well.

[gold84gmc]

its not my battery because the dome light turns on and isnt dimmer than normal, and i dont know if the brake light switch is bad now too or what because when i hit the brake pedal the lights dont turn on...but when i turn the parking lights on the tail lights turn on

[gold84gmc]

i changed the ignition switch and now when i move the key to the different positions it doesnt feel right and when i turn it to start that also doenst feel right

[Irish_Alley]

the brake light switch doesn't controll the start up just the neutral safety switch would cone troll that does it work now??? when you say don't feel right you mean hard to turn compaired to the old one 

[gold84gmc]

i havent tried starting it yet because it doesnt feel right...no it doesnt stop in the different positions(lock,accessory,on) it just turns smooth, and when i turn it to start it doesnt have the spring tension, or whatever you wanna call it, that it had before

[VileZambonie]

Did you hook the rod back into the switch?

[gold84gmc]

yes..i looked at it better today and when i turn the key it is moving the switch into the different positions i guess it just does it smoother than the old one...but now i have 2 more problems, the turn signal/headlight dimmer/wiper control, has a rod that goes down to a switch for the high/low beams and now its eather broken or disconnected at the turn signal/headlight dimmer/wiper control, so how do i take that out or how can i look to seem whats wrong with it. my second problem is that it wont shift out of park now....i turn the key out of the lock position and push the brake and i cant move the shifter out of park

[Irish_Alley]

i think your problem is the highbeam switch rod is broken or out of place as you said but its also jamming the shifter causing it not to shift.

[gold84gmc]

ok, how do i get to it...do i have to take the steering wheel off?

[gold84gmc]

ok i fixed the dimmer switch problem and the shifter problem, but now i have the original problem again....when i turn the key i get no power and nothing happens...do i need a new key switch maybe??

[Irish_Alley]

ok you have no power to anything? if you do have power to everything but the starter then look at your starter wires see if they are getting power one of the fat ones should be getting power 24/7 it goes strait to the bat. the other fat one(goes to the starter) only gets power when the little one ( it goes to your ignition switch) gets power. if you have no power to anything with they key then check your pig tail on the steering column for power you will have like 8 or so wires i think its the black one that will be hot 24/7 but check them all. another thing to check is the single red wire going to the distributor with they key on it should be 12 v