My S-10 Won't Turn Over
by Zyon Silket
If your S-10 won't turn over, you have an issue with the ignition system. The ignition system on your S-10 consists of the battery, ignition switch, starter motor and starter solenoid. The fact that your engine won't crank eliminates most other components that could keep your engine from starting. Taking a logical process to troubleshoot these components helps you get your S-10 back on the road while saving a little money in the process.
Step 1
Place the read lead of a multimeter on your S-10's positive battery terminal and place the black lead of the multimeter onto the negative battery terminal. Place the multimeter on 20V DC and measure the output. If your S-10's battery measures less than 12 volts, it may not start your truck. Fully charge the battery and attempt to start the vehicle once charged. If it still does not start after a full charge, move to the next step.
Step 2
Turn on the S-10's headlights and attempt to start the truck. If the headlights do not dim, the ignition switch is defective. If the lights dim, the ignition switch is working properly as it sends power to the starter motor and solenoid. Proceed to the next step.
Step 3
Locate the starter motor and the starter solenoid. The starter motor bolts to the right side of the transmission housing. The solenoid bolts onto the starter motor. Locate the two metal contacts on the back of the S-10's solenoid. The wire on the left goes to the ignition and the wire on the right goes to the starter motor.
Step 4
Place the blade of a screwdriver across both metal contacts to short out the wire. This automatically stops the engine from starting but allows the starter motor to turn on.
Step 5
Tell the second person to turn on the ignition key. If the starter motor turns on and makes a humming sound, the motor is good and the solenoid is defective. If the starter motor does not turn on or the starter motor runs intermittently, the starter motor is defective and the solenoid is good.
References
- " Chevrolet S10, GMC Sonoma 1994-2004, Chevy Blazer, GMC Jimmy 1995-2004, Olds Bravada, Isuzu Hombre 1996-2001 Repair Manual"; Robert Maddox, John H. Haynes; 2005
Things You'll Need
- Multimeter
- Screwdriver
- Second person
Writer Bio
Since 2006 Zyon Silket has been writing for companies such as SEOWhat, L&C Freelancing and T-Mobile Wireless. He has extensive experience working in supervisory roles within the wireless and Internet technologies fields. Silket is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in business management and network technologies at Lehigh Carbon Community College.
