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

[gold84gmc]

i have power to everything except what has to do with the key(ignition,radio,accessory,etc)....ill check the pigtail, is it possible for you to put a pic of the pigtail on here so i know which one your talking about?

[Irish_Alley]

i don't have a pic but if you look at the column follow it down till you get pass the panel you take off then look on the right side of it it will be about 4 or so inches long and flat it will be mounted to the shaft its self

[gold84gmc]

so i brought my truck to the local garage so he could find out what the problem was, and im lucky my truck didnt catch on fire, because my alternator was charging at 26 volts, and i guess there's gears inside the steering column for the key switch, and theyre missing a bunch of teeth causing them to slip and thats why i was getting power and why i couldnt shift it out of park, so i have to get a new alternator and a steering column

[gold84gmc]

i dont even want my truck anymore im tired of it, i just replaced the steering column and it still doesnt start

[gold84gmc]

now when i try to start it i get power but as soon as i turn the key to start the parking brake light in the guage turns on and it doesnt turn over or anything

[Donut]

Sound like the neutral safety switch might be giving you fits.  Will the starter "bump" in neutral?  (or in gear)
Just a quick "bump", don't want it to catch in gear.

Switch might be out of adjustment, or gone.  Hard saying what it is, but I'd rule that out.  Especially where you just swapped out columns.

FWIW, I've been through 3 since my truck went back on the road last fall, I now carry a spare in the glovebox.

[VileZambonie]

You just needed to replace the rack mechanism, not the whole column.



I agree check the park neutral switch A) that it's even connected and B) that it's properly adjusted.

It's at the base of the column.

[gold84gmc]

how do i adjust it?...and im going to replace it anyways but you dont think it could be my starter and/or solernoid thats bad?, because i get power to everything in the cab when i turn the key to on, but when i turn it to start the engine doesnt do anything

[Donut]

If it's not broke, don't replace it.  As far as your brake light on the dash, that's what happens when you try to start it in gear.
When the switch goes bad you can't start it in any gear, or ALL gears.

On mine, it's just a pair of screws and a pr of electrical plugs.  Loosen the screws and you should be able to rack it to the left or right.  (this is assuming your shift linkage is adjusted)

[gold84gmc]

ok ill look at it tomorrow, do i just keep moving it left or right until it starts?

[Donut]

Quick check would be to give the starter a "bump" in all gears.  Safely of course.  Will the starter catch in R?  How about D?  Try wiggling the shifter, will it work now? (out of adjustment) Put the key in "run" position, set E-brake, put the truck in R (not running) Are the back-up lights on?  If the BU lights are on in all gears, the switch is bad.  (Or the switch is not in position.  There is a small tab that goes into a recess on the column.)

Mine left me stranded the first time.  There are 2 pr. of wires, one for the BU lights, and the other for the neutral start.  Just to get me home I used a jumper on the neutral safety.  CAUTION, the starter will crank in all gears by doing this.

I attributed mine going to the constant forward/reverse pushing snow.

[gold84gmc]

First I gotta get a new starter(even though i think it's still good)once I get the new one on I'll do what you just said to do with the switch

[choptop]

First I gotta get a new starter(even though i think it's still good)once I get the new one on I'll do what you just said to do with the switch

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.

And you thought I was crazy,lol. Just messin with ya.

[Donut]

First I gotta get a new starter(even though i think it's still good)once I get the new one on I'll do what you just said to do with the switch

Why?   Check the switch, if it's bad, order a new one (just a phone call to your favorite parts house)  Rule out something before you run to get a new starter.  20.00 in gas to get a 10.00 part, (after you spend 50.00 for something that might not be bad) doesn't seem cost effective in time or $

Maybe it's just me, living 15 mi (and 30 min) away from parts.  I've learned to try to consolidate my trips a little.  That's why I've got a spare switch, after 3 or 4 you realize a 7.00 part isn't worth the downtime.

Rule out the switch, then look someplace else (if it's good), next trip to the parts house, then you can get your starter tested.

[gold84gmc]

how do i test the switch, i know i can adjust it, and with my starter the bearings are bad so im gonna replace it