1988' 2.5L S10 5 speed

Year: 1988 Engine Size: Pissant Small (2.5L) Miles: 146Billion Transmission: 5 speed manual Problem: Truck sucks

Specifics of truck suckness: Starter isn't working properly. There are only a very few 'common links' It seems to work perfectly when the engine is VERY cold - like over night hasn't run. Sometimes even after a day at work when the thermometer says it's cold it wont work properly. With a warm engine - forget it. Exact specifics of truck suckness: Starter will engage, spin the engine for a fraction of a second, disengage and spin like mad. The starter will engage EVERY time - but when cold it seems to stay engaged - either that or the truck just starts faster. The truck had been starting easier cold than hot/warm before this began. Unedjumakated Guess: Bad ground/wiring to solenoid causing bendix to retract before it's job is done. Unedjumakated Fix: The fuel additive "viagra" to keep it up and in.

Abusive remarks welcome as long as they are directed towards the truck.

Reply to
KJ
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Hi!

Sounds to me like you want a (newer) one?

If it has anywhere near the mileage you mention, why don't you vacuum the truck very thoroughly with a really powerful vacuum (not one of those carwash ones! it won't work for this!) and then empty the vacuum in a controlled fashion.

If your city/town/villa/metropolis/hut/etc... has one, don't be tempted to use one of those big sewer vacuum trucks. That's too big and you'll have problems finding your truck or pieces of it afterward.

Not only will you find a LOT of dust and dirt, but with a truck that old there's likely to be just shy of a million or so dollars worth of change in various nooks and crannies that only a vacuum can liberate. You should be able to buy a nice truck for that.

Or maybe it's time to "borrow" that fine 4.3L V6 that your neighbor's S-truck has and put it in yours...or heck, just go whole hog and do a V8 conversion...

Read on...

Take a look at your starter. See if any of the holding bolts have sheared off. This could cause the problem you describe.

However--having been up this road with my beloved '84 Sierra--I think your flywheel is toasted or at least needs some attention. My beloved old Sierra had spots on its flywheel (flexplate for an automatic?) where the starter would engage, grab for a split second and spin wonderfully but never would crank the motor. Sometimes it would also make pleasant noises not unlike those produced when mowing a white rock driveway with the blade all the way down.

The whole story went like this...in order:

For a while I'd sit and diddle the key until it grabbed and started.

Then I'd carry a 15/16" wrench to put on the alternator pulley nut and turn the engine manually past the bad spot on the flywheel until the starter could engage long enough to crank the engine.

The truck let me down while I stopped to examine a TV set on curbside discount. I pushed it home 3 blocks in 100 degree heat and nearly phoned the junkyard after that.

Finally I watched the tow truck haul my beloved '84 away to have the flywheel/flexplate properly fixed. I helped with this. What a chore.

On account of old age, the starter died and was rebuilt before the truck failed to start at all. I took it off, rebuilt it, and put it back on by myself. This helped, but didn't solve the problem. (You can imagine how proud I was that the starter worked again afterward!)

A cooked solenoid or bad wiring to the solenoid has always produced sluggish starter operation for me. I never saw a starter having trouble engaging the flywheel even with a cooked solenoid...unless the starter couldn't rev up high enough to cause the thing to work. The starter just wouldn't spin the engine with a bad solenoid...but it would try...

Might have to pour that in the battery instead? I wouldn't, because then the battery might squirt you in the eye from the chemical reaction and you'd be really sorry, really fast...as well as suddenly blind in one eye!

William The Guesser

Reply to
William R. Walsh

Reply to
Scott M

. change,or rebuild, the starter assembly w/solenoid.....

unless more symptoms arise...... at which time we will rediagnose the situation.

oh yeah......

ugly truck you got yerself.

scribs abell r-u

......... ........

1988' 2.5L S10 5 speed Group: alt.trucks.chevy Date: Wed, Oct 15, 2003, 10:00pm (CDT+5) From: snipped-for-privacy@REMOVEworldnet.att.net (KJ) Year: 1988 Engine Size: Pissant Small (2.5L) Miles: 146Billion Transmission: 5 speed manual Problem: Truck sucks Specifics of truck suckness: =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Starter isn't working properly. There are only a very few 'common links' It seems to work perfectly when the engine is VERY cold - like over night hasn't run. Sometimes even after a day at work when the thermometer says it's cold it wont work properly. With a warm engine - forget it. Exact specifics of truck suckness: =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Starter will engage, spin the engine for a fraction of a second, disengage and spin like mad. The starter will engage EVERY time - but when cold it seems to stay engaged - either that or the truck just starts faster. The truck had been starting easier cold than hot/warm before this began. Unedjumakated Guess: =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Bad ground/wiring to solenoid causing bendix to retract before it's job is done. Unedjumakated Fix: =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0The fuel additive "viagra" to keep it up and in. Abusive remarks welcome as long as they are directed towards the truck.
Reply to
Scrib Abell

That's what I was guessing. I'd love to rebuild, where should I get parts? Haven't really gotten under there except for oil changes - is there a dust cover just like an auto so I can easily examine teeth?

unless more symptoms arise...... at which time we will rediagnose the situation.

oh yeah......

ugly truck you got yerself.

scribs abell r-u

......... ........

1988' 2.5L S10 5 speed

Group: alt.trucks.chevy Date: Wed, Oct 15, 2003, 10:00pm (CDT+5) From: snipped-for-privacy@REMOVEworldnet.att.net (KJ) Year: 1988 Engine Size: Pissant Small (2.5L) Miles: 146Billion Transmission: 5 speed manual Problem: Truck sucks Specifics of truck suckness: Starter isn't working properly. There are only a very few 'common links' It seems to work perfectly when the engine is VERY cold - like over night hasn't run. Sometimes even after a day at work when the thermometer says it's cold it wont work properly. With a warm engine - forget it. Exact specifics of truck suckness: Starter will engage, spin the engine for a fraction of a second, disengage and spin like mad. The starter will engage EVERY time - but when cold it seems to stay engaged - either that or the truck just starts faster. The truck had been starting easier cold than hot/warm before this began. Unedjumakated Guess: Bad ground/wiring to solenoid causing bendix to retract before it's job is done. Unedjumakated Fix: The fuel additive "viagra" to keep it up and in. Abusive remarks welcome as long as they are directed towards the truck.

Reply to
KJ

No - just a REAL truck. Thats why I'm working on my K5

No grinding sounds what-so-ever. Just engages, disengages, and spins like mad. Always this - the only difference is sometimes it starts.

Reply to
KJ

. KJ, crawl yer lazy arse under the truck and look before you ask stupid questions.

If anyone answers that question about the dust cover for you......BEFORE you answer it yerself...i'm gonna call you lazy from here on out.

Now quit shirk'n yer duties....

as far as the starter...... before you go yanking off THE DUST COVER to bother looking at the teeth on the starter gear AND the flywheel......

step 1...... call around to a couple of Auto Zoned type joints and (hey i said joint) get you some prices on a reman starter.

step 2..... call around to an "Auto Electric" shop and ask for a price on rebuilding yours.

step 3..... look in yer wallet and see if you even want to waste the time to crawl under there to see if it has a dust cover.

step 4.... quit cry'n .....and call NAPA and get a price on a starter solonoid AND a bendix...

step 5.... call the finance company and ask em to borrow about $45....then do a repost and ask if WE THINK YOU HAVE THE ABILILTY TO REBUILD YER OWN STARTER.....

step 6..... light a joint and wait fer an answer...

AND QUIT TOP POSTING!!!!!!!!

scrib abell ~thinks kj wuz play'n stupid.....try'n to git ole scrib to crawl under there fer em...~ . . . Re: 1988' 2.5L S10 5 speed

Year: 1988 Engine Size: Pissant Small (2.5L) Miles: 146Billion Transmission: 5 speed manual

Group: alt.trucks.chevy Date: Thu, Oct 16, 2003, 11:25pm (CDT+5) From: snipped-for-privacy@REMOVEworldnet.att.net (KJ)

That's what I was guessing. I'd love to rebuild, where should I get parts? Haven't really gotten under there except for oil changes - is there a dust cover just like an auto so I can easily examine teeth? ======== ========

unless more symptoms arise......

at which time we will rediagnose the situation.

oh yeah...... ugly truck you got yerself.

scribs abell ........

Reply to
Scrib Abell

Hi!

Sounds VERY familiar. File under "forgot to mention this, but oh yeah, mine did that too!"

Mine alternated between "GNNNNNCH!" (imagine a high pitched, loud, mechanical "belch") and "BaaaZOOOOM" depending upon its seeming mood. Toward the end it was easily a five minute affair to get the old thing to start on a warm day when it wouldn't take much to start it.

In the winter time I couldn't get the starter to engage long enough to sufficiently crank the engine. I learned a few things from that adventure....don't let alternator belts slip, use the block heater if short on time and over on cash, and that the largest batteries my money could buy will take days to recharge when finally depleted...during which I would walk to school.

William

Reply to
William R. Walsh

Got enough going with one truck that I don't want to BOTHER with this one. As long as it starts when I push it down the road and dump the clutch - I'm happy to just leave it be. I know it would break more and more as I worked on it. I'd eventually track it all down, but right now it will still run. So - lazy no - annoyed and bothered, yes.

Just was trying to think if through if you would want to get water in with the clutch and the throw out bearing etc etc etc...... Only clutch assemblies I've ever seen were already out of the tractor in my agg class.

Only shirk'n that sin-box.

I wanna know how to do it all - just I only want to work on one disaster at a time.

Guess that other post saying I wasn't pig-headed etc was a little too soon? Even if you don't think I have the ability, I know I do. It's just a matter of time.

What would that be?

"when used properly this is a very effective tool... yer see you get the shop prick to 'show' you how to do it......"

Reply to
KJ

. . . . snipped-for-privacy@REMOVEworldnet.att.net (KJ) opens another MGD....while "Scrib Abell" downs another Budweiser and hits the doobie........

then we hear.....

KJ, =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0crawl yer lazy arse under the truck and look before you ask stupid questions.

Scrib, Got enough going with one truck that I don't want to BOTHER with this one. As long as it starts when I push it down the road and dump the clutch - I'm happy to just leave it be. I know it would break more and more as I worked on it. I'd eventually track it all down, but right now it will still run. So - lazy no - annoyed and bothered, yes.

KJ, If anyone answers that question about the dust cover for you......BEFORE you answer it yerself...i'm gonna call you lazy from here on out.

Scrib, I Just was trying to think it through, if you would want to get water in with the clutch and the throw out bearing etc etc etc...... Only clutch assemblies I've ever seen were already out of the tractor in my agg class.

KJ, quit shirk'n yer duties....

Scrib, Only shirk'n that sin-box.

KJ, as far as the starter...... =A0=A0=A0=A0before you go yanking off THE DUST COVER to bother looking at the teeth on the starter gear AND the flywheel...... step 1...... call around to a couple of Auto Zoned type joints and (hey i said joint) get you some prices on a reman starter. step 2..... call around to an "Auto Electric" shop and ask for a price on rebuilding yours. step 3..... look in yer wallet and see if you even want to waste the time to crawl under there to see if it has a dust cover. I wanna know how to do it all - just I only want to work on one disaster at a time. step 4.... quit cry'n .....and call NAPA and get a price on a starter solonoid AND a bendix... step 5.... call the finance company and ask em to borrow about $45....then do a repost and ask if WE THINK YOU HAVE THE ABILILTY TO REBUILD YER OWN STARTER.....

Scrib, I Guess that other post saying I wasn't pig-headed etc was a little too soon? Even if you don't think I have the ability, I know I do. It's just a matter of time.

scrib abell ~thinks kj wuz play'n stupid.....try'n to git ole scrib to crawl under there fer em...~

KJ, "thinks when used properly this is a very effective tool... yer see you get the shop prick to 'show' you how to do it......" =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D (scrib writes...)

LMAO....good ending....

and I was inferring that we DO BELIEVE that you're capable.

scrib abell ~:~thinks kj is his kinda dude.......and imagines kj pushing that truck down the hill...hopping in.. and popping the clutch...while not spilling a drop of his MGD....yep....now there's character.........maybe the good ole days ain't all gone~:~

Reply to
Scrib Abell

(scrib writes...)

LMAO....good ending....

and I was inferring that we DO BELIEVE that you're capable.

Very long story story, but I just dropped my first Chrysler (jeep Cherokee) transmission today. Didn't get a chance to put it in though. But because of that little favor, I got one BACK - free access to a lift/air tools today, and most likely in the future :-)

Reply to
KJ

. . (scrib writes...)

LMAO....good ending....

and I was inferring that we DO BELIEVE that you're capable. ============= Re: 1988' 2.5L S10 5 speed Group: alt.trucks.chevy Date: Thu, Oct 23, 2003, 12:19am (CDT+5) From: snipped-for-privacy@REMOVEworldnet.att.net (KJ)

Very long story story, but I just dropped my first Chrysler (jeep Cherokee) transmission today. Didn't get a chance to put it in though. But because of that little favor, I got one BACK - free access to a lift/air tools today, and most likely in the future :-) =================

That'll knock an hour off taking that 700r4 out when the convertor don't work.

lol

How long it take you to get the Jeep tranny out KJ?? Automatic?

MarshMonster ~:~suggests a pawn shop 9/16 and 1/2 wrench~:~

Reply to
Marsh Monster

Manual. Flywheel looked like a a rotor, clutch surfaces probably could have been peeled off with a finger nail (no more rivits)

Took probably 2-3 hours, wasn't really looking at the clock. But that included time saying "where is this tool" and moving other cars around, and checking rotors and what not. The jeep was in sad sad shape, front rotors were PURE JUNK. Front left tire was close too it, with a pocket gouged out every 5 inches or so.

Reply to
KJ

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