91 Formula shown in the avatar panel. Four times now in the last week, I'll be driving down the road and everything goes dead - engine, all electricals, etc. The first 2 times is caughtt itself in a second or so and continued on. Early this morning I had to turn the key off and back on several times over a 3 - 4 minute period before I got any power back. This afternoon I went to the car to put the windows down and it died when the the first window was half way down. Left it sit a couple pf hours and then it was fine.

I suspect an electrical problem somewhere, but looking for suggestions. When it dies even the clock in the radio is reset, so it has to be power somewhere I would think. Battery is only a couple of months old, and the cables are NOT loose or corroded (already checked that).

Anyone ever seen anything like this?

 

check your grounds... the big one to the motor, and espically the ground straps between the motor and the chassis....



next check positive power.. on the starter 'noid, theres a couple fuseable links that also connect to the starter (on some models dono if it applies to you there.. on other models, its on a power distribution stud....) no matter where it is, make sure its also tight, and not corroded.

 

also check your ignition switch, might be getting worn out.

 

Thanks for the responses....

An update on the symptoms:

I'm not loosing total electrical power, the dome light and headlights still work, as do the dash instrument panel kights.

And FWIW, it is currently in the "NOT WORKING" mode.

How can I diagnose the ignition switch?

 

Horn and electric mirrors work too....

 

Ideas
please!!!

 

well myself would just replace the ignition switch anyways since its over 10 years old, but if you want to test you can us a voltmeter and see what your voltages are at the connector to see if the contacts are making contact int he swicth.

let me ask you though, does everything that is supposed to work with the key on work? if the stuff that needs the key to be no doesn't that leads me to the switch. but rereading your post the thing about the radio would lead to think a fusible link could be starting to fail, they are usually located on the smaller wiers on the start battery terminal and on the back of the alternator.

 

THANKS FOR THE REPLY.

I've got the column almost apart and it started working again.

when it doesn't work, nothing that is supposed to work when the key is on, does. It's like the key didn'y get turned on. The thing is, all the ignition switch does is turn a bar going thru the column to a rack lever. The only wiring to he switch itself is the VATS connection, and that's disabled in the BIN.....

 

the actual switch should be down near the floorboard on top of the colum near where it bolts to the dash support (at least this is typically where it is in gm vehicles). the part you put your key is just a ignition lock.

 

like he said, the ignition switch is on the column at the base of it..... take out the two nuts holding the column up, and let the column hang down... you'll see two small rods on the top... turn the ignition lock, one should move, and lead you straight to the switch... the other one is for the high/low beam

 

OK, gotcha - that makes a lot more sense now. I'll order an ignition switch today. Do Autozone/O'Reilly's/Pep Boyz carry that kind of thing, or is it a dealer only item?

 

autozone should have them, they are alsmot a universal item on gm cars and trucks.

 

Thanks!!!

 

just a thought... i should have said this sooner.



if its still together, go start your car... then push down on the steering wheel... or pull up....


if theres slack in the wheel, and the switch is worn, then the movement causes the rods to move the switch, and it kills the ignition..

ive seen this twice before... i dont know why it didnt occur to me to check until just now...

 

Now that makes a lot of sense, and probably fits my situation as well.

I do/did have some play in my steering column. Enough that I'm in the process of tearing it down using Vader's excellent post so I can get to the tilt mechanism bolts to try and tighten them up. Having a problem in that effort though, can't get the blasted spring cap off, and I've stipped two 8-32 bolts with the nuts while trying to get the second pivot pin out. I'll put up another post on that problem though....

Once I get that dismantled and hopefully find some loose torx bolts, I'll re-assemble it with a new ignition switch and see if that solves my problem. Thanks!!!!!

 

If the switch turns out not to be the problem the next thing I'd look at would be a bad ECM. I know everyone blames the ECM for all sorts of stuff that isn't it fault but I've had them go bad in similar ways- it would just shut off while driving, sometimes with the gagues going dead, sometimes not.

This wouldn't affect power windows, however.

 

Grounds on the back of the block can do the same thing too :-)

Always check those.

I have been burned by that one :-)

Been burned by the ignition switch too :-) (on my 91 Formie)

Tested, tested, tested, finally car quit and I found it by digging under the dash and smelled the burn lol. Really fried me lol

later
Jeremy

 

Good idea, I'll check those grounds as well..... THANKS!!!