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86 S10 Blazer won't start up.


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PattyVee
New User

Jan 9, 2008, 6:02 PM

Post #1 of 4 (1889 views)
86 S10 Blazer won't start up. Sign In

For starters, the blazer was free as a sort of "first car must be a piece of junk" tradition in my family. It's a mishmash of different cars, and I believe the engine is from a 88 chevy pickup. We've gotten over the ball joints collapsing within the first month, the windows no longer rolling down right, and now it's just dead.

I was about to head out, I turned on the lights, turned the key and then click. The lights cut off and nothing happened. I noticed that before this happened the blazer wouldn't turn on as quickly as it use to. It would sort of whine a bit and then turn on. So I called my friend to come and give me a jump the next morning. He did so. We let the blazer run for about ten minutes, went around the block, came home and turned it off. Immediately I turned it back on again and it didn't whine like it usually does. It jumped to life right away. A few hours later I went back and nothing. Just a click.

Later on that day my friend came back and gave me another jump. The blazer didn't last five minutes on it's own before it turned off. We took out the battery and took it to Auto Zone and got it charged. They said it was fine. We brought it back, put it back in, made sure everything was tight and secure. When I went to turn the key the dashboard lit up, but all I got was a click. Then it went dead again. No lights, no horn, just gone.

Is there anything else that it could be besides the alternator? My friend and I don't know a lot about cars, and the blazer has tested my boyfriend's knowledge. And on top of that, until we can get a hold of the mechanic that threw the car together, we really don't know what kind of car that alternator came from. Is there any way to find out if we can't get a hold of him? Or are we out of luck?


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jan 9, 2008, 6:35 PM

Post #2 of 4 (1883 views)
Re: 86 S10 Blazer won't start up. Sign In

Should be an easy one.......... famous last words. That is typical of a battery cable connection with a known good battery. Cable ends at battery may be spent or need cleaning up at the starter motor and the engine block ( other ends of cables for that vehicle ) and that should do it.

If it always behaves with a jump the problem should be at the battery ends. They do make quality ends if you ask and that's what's wrong. The elcheapo ones will just give you the same problems too soon. Whole cables aren't that pricey either.

High chance of that being your trouble with those symptoms,

T



way2old
Veteran / Moderator
way2old profile image

Jan 9, 2008, 6:41 PM

Post #3 of 4 (1882 views)
Re: 86 S10 Blazer won't start up. Sign In

No fair Tom. I was replying to your PM and you jumped the easy one.Shocked The end covers on your battery cables can be peeled back aqnd you can see if there is any corrosion in them. If corrosion has wicked into the inside of the wiring insulation, replacement of the cables is iminent. If it is just surface corrosion, a mixture of baking soda and water with a stiff brush will clean it to get you by for a while. Good luck.



Being way2old is why I need help from younger minds


PattyVee
New User

Jan 9, 2008, 7:00 PM

Post #4 of 4 (1880 views)
Re: 86 S10 Blazer won't start up. Sign In

Thanks! The black connection (ground?) is actually really bad. To the point where the nut is actually stuck. It took us a lot of work (and cursing) to get it off in the first place. We'll give them a good cleaning and try it again.






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