What is this wire? (1979 K10)

[79sqbdy]

What is this wire for/go to?

It goes from where it’s pictured and where I found it just sitting on top of the motor, to the lower portion of the firewall behind the motor, then loops back to the lower passenger side of the engine. From there I lose sight of it, and I’m super curious what this goes to.

 

[fast 99]

Idle solenoid?

 

[79sqbdy]

Idle solenoid?

Very well could be, and it would make sense why the truck idles like garbage (and possibly why it struggles to start cold), but my question is where do I plug this wire in at? I couldn’t see anywhere obvious to receive this wire.

 

[hoagster]

it goes right there!

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But looking at your setup, you have a after market Carb.

 

[fast 99]

You have a Carter carb. They might make a bracket to fit it, stock GM will not. There are 2 uses for the solenoid depending on application. Neither will fix a rough idle. Something else is wrong on that front. Solenoids were either used for increasing idle speed when AC is on or for stopping dieseling when turned off. That lead may be hot with key on so wrap some electrical tape around it.

 

[79sqbdy]

Looks like the person I bought it from put an Edelbrock 1406 carb on. Interestingly I’m not even seeing a solenoid on the carb, which would make sense (I think?) why there is a wire with no home.

Unless I’m missing something obvious.

 

[Turbo4whl]

Could be power for an electric choke. A carburetor that needed an electric choke could have been installed at some point.

Choke's were different over the square years. My 1974 had a divorced choke. My 1982 has electric choke. I believe that 1979 was still using a heat stove choke.

 

[RustyPile]

Guessing at it will get you absolutely nowhere.. If you guess wrong and hook it up, the repercussions could be disastrous..

First thing to do is acquire a wiring diagram for your truck. This site has free download diagrams. Determine the color and gauge of this wire and then reference the diagram to determine where the wire comes from and where it goes..

 

[Turbo4whl]

Guessing at it will get you absolutely nowhere.. If you guess wrong and hook it up, the repercussions could be disastrous..

First thing to do is acquire a wiring diagram for your truck. This site has free download diagrams. Determine the color and gauge of this wire and then reference the diagram to determine where the wire comes from and where it goes..

This can be a good idea, but a 40 plus year old truck wires loose their color. Wires also get added or replaced.

@fast 99 has a good idea about when and if there is even any power to the wire. Also as he said, good idea is to find out why the truck does not idle smooth. One wire with no place to plug it wont fix the idle unless it has and needs that wire for a choke.

 

[79sqbdy]

Guessing at it will get you absolutely nowhere.. If you guess wrong and hook it up, the repercussions could be disastrous..

First thing to do is acquire a wiring diagram for your truck. This site has free download diagrams. Determine the color and gauge of this wire and then reference the diagram to determine where the wire comes from and where it goes..

It is definitely a black wire and I looked at the wiring diagram for the 79 but couldn’t identify.