s10 dash lights not on and won't start

[lkaiser]

When I turn the key and my dash lights don't come on, my engine cranks but won't start. If the lights come on it starts every time. If I spray electrical contact cleaner in the ignition switch and turn the key back and forth a while the lights will come on the first try and then after a while I may have to try up to 10 times to get them on. What could the problem be?

[ozzman73]

same prob here but mine only works once a week.

[91red]

you have a bad ignition switch maaaan

[nightdriver09]

A friend of mine has the same problem, except that
we keep blowing the ECM-I fuse. We have just fin-
ished changing out the starter (bad) and the ignition switch,(the electrical part down on the
column. And it still blows the ECM-I fuse. Are you
referring to the key cylinder portion or the switch
itself. How come no one else is mentioning blowing
fuses?

[GMMerlin]

The ECM 1 fuse is blowing because of a short to ground or shorted componant controlled by that fuse.
If you tell us what year the truck is, we may be able to tell you what is on that circuit.

[nightdriver09]

It's an '89, all stock, 145,000 miles. The owner is my
friend's stepfather, and seems to be somewhat
knowledgeable. He just put a water pump on it(4.3)
and it looks like a good installation to me. But that
might be part of the problem, since he would have
had to pull off the alt. and a\c compressor. Also he
just replaced the stop light switch, which I don't
believe would be on the ECM-I circut. We do both
have manuals on S-10's, but I didn't see anything
on that scematic that looked obvious to me. When
we first got the new starter in last night I got it
started and it ran for about 6 seconds before the
fuse blew again.(ran crappy) One point Dan and I
are looking at is the positive cable lays underneath
a pipe from the a\c condensor and the plastic cover is getting squished by the pipe. Since there
are holding eyelets about 5 inches either side of the
pipe I see no reason for the cable to lie underneath
that pipe. Your help would be appreciated. Thanks

[jmel35]

I have a 1991 S-10 Blazer with a 4.3L and I also keep blowing the ECM-I fuse. Fuse will blow whenever I turn the ignition key on. Occasionally it will start and run for about 5-10 minutes then the fuse will blow again. It actually ran for about a month after I put a new fuel pump in but gas guage didn't work. Then service engine soon light came on one day for about 20 seconds then went out and gas gauge started working. Then about 2 weeks later, the ECM-I fuse blew. Could it be the ignition switch?