Chevy pickup - bad starter or faulty wiring?

I have an old 87 Chevy truck V8 that won't start. Had been starting
and running fine til a few days ago. But a little background history
first..

The truck always starts up fine the first time. But if it's been
driven for awhile, then shut off - such as stopping for gas - then try
to restart, it's a little more difficult to start. But usually I get
it started ok. Recently, with the extreme hot weather in our area it's
been particularly difficult to start. After doing some research on
this, thought it might just be vapor lock. The key here, though, is
that is runs great after started - doesn't die on me, etc.

The other day I drove to work just fine. But at the end of my work day
when I went out to start her up, she would only crank slowly but
wouldn't start. When this has happened before I would usually wait
awhile and sometime up to a day later then she would start up fine.
But now even after waiting several days she simply won't start up
anymore. Engine cranks slowly and after a few more tries, just clicks.

So I bought a new battery and after hooking it up the starter doesn't
even click. The lights, radio and wipers work ok but nothing else
happens after turning the ignition. A discovery I made while unhooking
my old battery was that the rubber boot covering the positive cable
connector was somewhat melted as if exposed to extreme heat. So maybe
the cable running from my battery's positive post to the starter's
terminal is bad?

Now, my immediate problem...my truck is stuck at the parking lot at
work. The gate is locked up after evening so I don't have access to
work on it after I've gotten off work. I'd really like to get her home
to work on but am reluctant to pay any towing charges at this point. I
don't see the logic in incurring erroneous expense on such an old truck
if there's an easier, and more importantly, cheaper way to accomplish
the same task.

I've read instructions previously on this forum outlining the way to
jump-start (hotwire) a starter when diagnosing a no-start scenario.
What I want to do is start my truck up and drive it home so I can work
on it. But I'm not clear on some of the instructions I've read here
about the proper way to do this. What are the proper connections
between the battery and the starter to get the engine started so that
it continues running? Should the ignition key be in the on position?
I've read elsewhere that it doesn't need to be. Assuming that my
battery cable to the starter is bad, my only option appears to be to
run a jumper cable from the positive post of my battery to the
solenoid. But since there are several terminals on the solenoid, which
terminal do I connect to? Should I leave it connected after the engine
starts? Will the engine continue to run if I remove the connection?
I've read so many conflicting instructions on the web detailing this
that I'm simply not clear on the proper way to do this. I just feel
that if I can get my truck home I can get her fixed without incurring
too much expense on my part.

Any and all input would sure be appreciated - thanks in advance!

major

wrote in article
.com>...
> I have an old 87 Chevy truck V8 that won't start. Had been starting
> and running fine til a few days ago. But a little background history
> first..
>
> The truck always starts up fine the first time. But if it's been
> driven for awhile, then shut off - such as stopping for gas - then try
> to restart, it's a little more difficult to start. But usually I get
> it started ok. Recently, with the extreme hot weather in our area it's
> been particularly difficult to start. After doing some research on
> this, thought it might just be vapor lock. The key here, though, is
> that is runs great after started - doesn't die on me, etc.
>
> The other day I drove to work just fine. But at the end of my work day
> when I went out to start her up, she would only crank slowly but
> wouldn't start. When this has happened before I would usually wait
> awhile and sometime up to a day later then she would start up fine.
> But now even after waiting several days she simply won't start up
> anymore. Engine cranks slowly and after a few more tries, just clicks.
>
> So I bought a new battery and after hooking it up the starter doesn't
> even click. The lights, radio and wipers work ok but nothing else
> happens after turning the ignition. A discovery I made while unhooking
> my old battery was that the rubber boot covering the positive cable
> connector was somewhat melted as if exposed to extreme heat. So maybe
> the cable running from my battery's positive post to the starter's
> terminal is bad?
>
> Now, my immediate problem...my truck is stuck at the parking lot at
> work. The gate is locked up after evening so I don't have access to
> work on it after I've gotten off work. I'd really like to get her home
> to work on but am reluctant to pay any towing charges at this point. I
> don't see the logic in incurring erroneous expense on such an old truck
> if there's an easier, and more importantly, cheaper way to accomplish
> the same task.
>


Get a few buddies to help you push it outside the gate at lunch
time........


> I've read instructions previously on this forum outlining the way to
> jump-start (hotwire) a starter when diagnosing a no-start scenario.
> What I want to do is start my truck up and drive it home so I can work
> on it. But I'm not clear on some of the instructions I've read here
> about the proper way to do this. What are the proper connections
> between the battery and the starter to get the engine started so that
> it continues running? Should the ignition key be in the on position?
> I've read elsewhere that it doesn't need to be. Assuming that my
> battery cable to the starter is bad, my only option appears to be to
> run a jumper cable from the positive post of my battery to the
> solenoid. But since there are several terminals on the solenoid, which
> terminal do I connect to? Should I leave it connected after the engine
> starts? Will the engine continue to run if I remove the connection?
> I've read so many conflicting instructions on the web detailing this
> that I'm simply not clear on the proper way to do this. I just feel
> that if I can get my truck home I can get her fixed without incurring
> too much expense on my part.
>
> Any and all input would sure be appreciated - thanks in advance!
>
> major
>
>

>
>
> Get a few buddies to help you push it outside the gate at lunch
> time........
>
>

Can't do that, my truck would then be sitting in the middle of a major
intersection.

Anybody out there with an informed reponse to my inquiry about
hot-wiring the starter? Thanks.

> I've read instructions previously on this forum outlining the way to
> jump-start (hotwire) a starter when diagnosing a no-start scenario.
> What I want to do is start my truck up and drive it home so I can work
> on it. But I'm not clear on some of the instructions I've read here

First off, the ignition switch needs to be in the on position. You need
to jump between the large copper lug and the smaller "start" terminal
to make the starter run. But before you jump under the truck to do this
understand that by completing the circuit there is a risk of welding
the terminal to together whatever tool(screwdriver, etc) you use to
bridge the connection.

Before you get too far into this check for +12 volts at the battery
connection at the starter. If you do not have 12 volts here then you
either need to repair/replace the battery cable or call the tow truck.

One way to temp-fix the problem if the wiring from the ign switch to
the starter is bad is to run a jumper wire from the positive terminal
of the battery to the smaller "start" terminal on the starter. The
start terminal is the one that gets the 12 volt signal from the
ignition switch to engage the starter. This method carries a smaller
risk of welding things together. If that does not work then you can try
jumping between the large connection at the starter and the smaller
start terminal, but if the starter is totally shot or if the larger 12
volt cable from the battery has a burned out fusible link this also
will fail.

It's times like this when you wish you had a manual transmission so you
could push start it and get it home

Chris