Weird Electrical Problem

[AaronW]

So, fingers crossed, I think it may have been the ignition switch. I'm still not envisioning how the heat thing could affect that, but I checked over the wiring, and so went ahead and replaced the the ignition switch.

This afternoon, I let it idle for half an hour, my 15 year old drove it around my loop driveway for another half hour, and then I took it to town and back on a 15 miles or so jaunt, no problem at all. I shut it off once while in town, and it started right back up. Per snoots suggsetion, I'd earlierthought of the ignition coil, but then, it should have cranked and not started, whereas I was totally dead except for my dome light and headlights.

So, I guess I'm just going to try driving it and see what happens. I don't carry a cell phone, normally, but we've got an old flip phone that I think I'll take with me for the next couple weeks, whenever I drive it, just in case.

In other news, they don't make that switch too easy to get to, do they? I had to loosen up the steering column on the engine side, to get it to drop down far enough.

Wish me luck,

Aaron

 

[Max Headroom]

I had the same problem in my 79 c-10 about 25 years ago. Ran till it got hot and then would quit. Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes and it would start right up and run again till it got hot but not always quitting right away. Sometimes just quit, sometimes drive 20 to 30 minutes and then quit and sometimes quit when I slowed or stopped for a light. Turned out to be the starter solenoid. It would pass voltage when cold but not when hot.
Hope this helps.

 

[AaronW]

Well, I've been driving the truck some for a few weeks now, and no issues, so I guess we can call this one "problem solved." I wonder if my old switch had corrosion that was interfering with the connection, once it heated up and metal parts expanded.

Aaron