S-10 quitting or not starting

I have a 96 S-10. For over a year it has had a problem, occurring only once every couple months until recently, where it would either cut out and quit, or wouldn't start. Turns over normal, no spark and I think no fuel (when we pulled a spark plug it wasn't firing or wet). Strange thing about this is, after the truck sits for a little as maybe ten minutes, it starts right up and might run fine for months. Recently however this has starting occurring every few days. I thought I heard a clicking in the right front around the glove box a couple times before it started back up, but I can't be sure about that (I'm lost with any vehicle newer than about '85!) We replaced the ignition module the first time this happened, just on a wild guess, and it ran fine for a long time, but I know now that actually wasn't the problem.

Any ideas. I thought about replacing the ignition switch (wild guess #2). Something is shutting off, or breaking, and resetting is my hunch but beyond that I'm lost.

Your ECM could and probably is located up under the dash behind your glove box. You might want to have the checked out-it controls everything. If its bad-might replace it with one from a recycling yard-lots cheaper.

Hunter429, not a lot of info to work with here, like the odvious, what motor??? 2.2/4.3 ??? Pickup guy
said ECM, truck has no ECM, it's a PCM on this truck, with OBD2 & it's located under hood on the coolant overflow tank. Dont try to replace this as a
shot in the dark repair. PCM has to be flashed at a dealer/not cheap, even if you can get the part cheap.
ANY CODES SET?
AFTER STALL, CYCLE KEY, F/P SHOULD RUN 5-SECONDS- DOES IT??
FUEL PRESSURE, ANY, ABOVE MINIMUM??
SPARK??
CONDITIONS FOR STALL, THE SAME ??
WHEN, IDLE,TURNING,BRAKING,HOT,COLD
check F/P relay or crank sensor first.

Hunter429, not a lot of info to work with here, like the odvious, what motor??? 2.2/4.3 ??? Pickup guy
said ECM, truck has no ECM, it's a PCM on this truck, with OBD2 & it's located under hood on the coolant overflow tank. Dont try to replace this as a
shot in the dark repair. PCM has to be flashed at a dealer/not cheap, even if you can get the part cheap.
ANY CODES SET?
AFTER STALL, CYCLE KEY, F/P SHOULD RUN 5-SECONDS- DOES IT??
FUEL PRESSURE, ANY, ABOVE MINIMUM??
SPARK??
CONDITIONS FOR STALL, THE SAME ??
WHEN, IDLE,TURNING,BRAKING,HOT,COLD
check F/P relay or crank sensor first.


I hope you'll forgive me for being an idiot on modern auto electronics. I had it at Chevy last spring and of course couldn't get it to do it. Had it towed in and took it off the truck and it started right up. Happened so rarely I was just living with it. When it goes when driving, the last two times, I get a flurry of clicking in the relays in the glove box, flashing of lights on the dashboard, lurching, then dead, but with all other power working. Did it today. Ten minutes wait, trying it every couple minutes, then it runs. No connection to hot/cold, wet/dry.

I have not done anything with codes.

Most likely senerio is that you have an ignition switch that has failed.
Have seen many trucks with the same symptoms fixed with replacing the switch.

(like BOOZER, I like to see some diagnostics done before recommending a part be changed, but I feel fairly confident that a switch will fix your problem)

Most likely senerio is that you have an ignition switch that has failed.
Have seen many trucks with the same symptoms fixed with replacing the switch.

(like BOOZER, I like to see some diagnostics done before recommending a part be changed, but I feel fairly confident that a switch will fix your problem)

I can add these bits of information - when the truck is in the NOT starting condition (turning over no spark), when I turn on the ignition key I hear one click over in the relays in the glove box. When it is starting OK, and I turn on the ignition key, I hear TWO clicks.
Second bit of information - the second time it quit this morning I did a little frontier justice and gave the top of the steering column a good thump with my fist (made me feel better) AND it hasn't quit since - I think I'm going to throw in an ignition switch (what's 80 bucks nowadays? :) ) and go from there. If that doesn't work I'll just have to take my truck and my wallet down to Chevy and let them have at it.

I appreciate everybody's help!

Howdy...my son's S10 does this very same thing. I keep blaming it on the fuel filter, but after a couple Wix @$14 doesn't seem to be the problem. Did changing out the switch fix your problem? The truck is a 4 cylinder, 1986 runs fine except it just quits running, wait awhile and it'll start up. Any help would be appreciated, I'm getting ready to take it to the garage...help$$$

Hey folks: Nobody said anything about blowing fuses
I was talking to a friend last night about his Toy pu
and he said a friend of his had just borrowed my
friend's mom's '89 s-10, drove it 12 miles and it just
quit on a main street. My friend went over and put
in a new fuse in the ECM-I socket and it blew also.
As of 8 pm last night after 1 hour charge at 5 amps
the battery is still only at 12.56 volts and the head-
lights won't come on. It sounds like the same problem but none of you mention a blown fuse. Are
we on the same page here?

My 96 s-10 is doing the samething now ,,,did replacing the ingnitoin switch help,,,PLEASE let me know.

On my Friend's '89 that was caused by the airhat
shorting out an injector lead. You have MPI. Check
to see if you have any blown fuses, ECMI or ECMB.
This is getting to look like a fuel pump relay, which
could be caused by a short in the elec. system.

I'm also trying to nail down this type of an S10 problem (which seems to be a common problem).

Look at this thread and let me know if you find out anything else. Thanks!

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=188705

On my Friend's '89 that was caused by the airhat
shorting out an injector lead. You have MPI. Check
to see if you have any blown fuses, ECMI or ECMB.
This is getting to look like a fuel pump relay, which
could be caused by a short in the elec. system.
My s15 keeps blowin ecm fuse as soon as truck starts for a second,need help too

Most likely senerio is that you have an ignition switch that has failed.
Have seen many trucks with the same symptoms fixed with replacing the switch.

(like BOOZER, I like to see some diagnostics done before recommending a part be changed, but I feel fairly confident that a switch will fix your problem)
My s15 2.6 keeps blowin ecm fuse,any ideas tried alot........

Okay guys this may not apply here but I am going to mention it anyway. Since iI am not sure if they ever put one in the s-10's or not. My corsica when i bought it had similar problems and the garages could not figure it out. They replaced fuel pumps, computers, ignition modules, coil packs (Distributorless ignition on this car so if you have a distributor it most likely does not apply lol) and checked wiring and fuses and so on totaling around 2000$ my parents sunk into it in garage bills. So they got sick of it and sold it to me for 100$ 8 years ago. Well i being the cheap S.O.B. I am went to the junkyard and got a couple of each of the previosly listed parts and went home and started trying things. Well 1 month later i bought a crankshaft sensor put it in and drove the car for 2 years then had to replace it again. And had to do so every 2 years till i bought my Jimmy and quit driving it. If nothing else this may help people reading the forum who have the same problem with another car the own and may be of help to them.

To Holy Smokes, It sounds like you do have a shorted wire. One thing, have you steamed off the engine lately?. Something could be moved and making contact. Try to remember anything that was done to the engine, and look in that area for mis-routed wires. I replaced the lower ignition switch on my friend's but it was not the cause. Let us know what the real problem was, non-starting seems to be getting more common on these trucks.

the clicks you hear in the glove box are the fuel pump relay. When you turn the key position to on it will click, completing the circuit to the fuel pump telling it to turn on and pump fuel.

the clicks you hear in the glove box are the fuel pump relay. When you turn the key position to on it will click, completing the circuit to the fuel pump telling it to turn on and pump fuel.


I had many problems with the fuse blowing for the fuel pump. The problem is that the Fuel Pump Relay and the Oil presure switch are using the same relay and it blows the fuse when the Oil Pressure switch gets burnt out.

Try replacing the oil pressure switch ( $29.00 ) and that should solve your fuse problem.

Go figure, that the oil and the fuel are connected, but it took me two weeks and this forum to figure it out.

Thanks!

Ok, maybe I can help. I have a 1996 Chevy S-10. I had a problem with teh truck shutting off while I was running down teh road then come back on. The all of a sudden it would not start and teh dash lights didn't work but teh engine would crank. Well that has to do with teh computer. The dash lights are related to teh computer getting juice form teh battery. There are 2 fuses that go to teh computer in your fuse block. The first is on a continuous supply and teh other is on when teh ignition is turned on. Now they both should send 12 volts to teh computer when you are trying to run teh veichle. What happen to mine is teh continous source would send 12 volts but the ignition sorce would not. It ende up taht my ignition block went bad. It would send power to every thing except my cpu. YOU can test this by checking the fuse block with a an electrical tester. Pull teh fuses and turn teh key on, then check both fuse holders and see if they have power. They both should have 12 volts with eth key on, if they dont or have a reading other then say 10.5 to 12 then the ignition switch is probably bad. I paid 130.00 for mine and you have to tear teh cover off teh steering column and teh kick boards under teh dash. its a wiring harness thats located up under teh dash and held together with a 7mm bolt. The ignition block is held in with a male torx head bolt. they are really small and i had to get speical tools form sears. But check teh fuses first and teh connectsions at teh compueter which is located in the engine compartment. If the cpu is getting power then i would check to see if its bad. My first assuption was that my cpu was bad and went to a junk yard and picked one up. Turns out it wasnt bad and thankfully teh junk yard let me return the one i bought. See if a local yard dealler will let you buy one and return it if tahts not teh case. It only takes a few hours so its not a bad waste of time if its not teh reason. Hope this helps.

This may seem dumb but have you checked your battery terminals to make sure that they are getting a good connection? I had my truck cut off one time and it was because the bolt into the battery had worked its way out of the negative terminal somehow and if you notice when you disconnect the battery and reconnect it you will hear the "ticking noise" over near the front right speaker. Hope this helps.

To Holy Smokes, It sounds like you do have a shorted wire. One thing, have you steamed off the engine lately?. Something could be moved and making contact. Try to remember anything that was done to the engine, and look in that area for mis-routed wires. I replaced the lower ignition switch on my friend's but it was not the cause. Let us know what the real problem was, non-starting seems to be getting more common on these trucks.
Found problem, oil sendin unit wires had bare spots ,retaped now runs fine,this truck has always been a quif ,its still dies once and a while for no reason......i think ignition module is the problem this time.