View Full Version : Is there anything more satisfying then..
SouthPaw
12-20-2018, 15:56
Chasing a problem with your vehicle that has left you stranded, failed to start, rolling the dice anywhere you took it, having the old lady bitch at you to get rid of it, kicking and screaming at it, thinking she might be right, spending hours tearing into it thinking you have it fixed; then FINALLY finding the issue and fixing it? I have been chasing a no start/security system problem on my 2005 Silverado 1500 for the last six weeks. At random, I would go to start it and get a crank/no start. The security light would flash and I would have to do the relearn procedure which involves leaving the key in the ignition for 10 minutes, attempting to restart and repeat this for three times. Well the last time it did it, my gf and I were leaving an event at 9pm and it was a no start. Of course it happened to be freezing outside, it was dark and no one was around. She was done with it and so was I. I spent hours researching forums about the GM passlock issues and was ready to throw in the towel, take it to a shop or let it be someone else's headache.
Today was my day! I decided to give it one last shot on my lunch break to look it over. I took apart the dash for the one hundredth time and there it was, one lone broken wire buried in between some others. It was barely visible but I could see some copper poking it's ugly head out. I traced the wire back which lead to the BCM at one end and the PASSLOCK sensor on the other at the ignition switch. I couldn't figure out how that wire could be broken but the truck still ran 75% of the time? Well upon further inspection, some wise guy figured out that the PASSLOCK sensors sends an OHM reading to the BCM from the passlock sensor and you can cut that wire to splice in a resistor (or two in series since he didn't have the right one). After removing some electrical tape, I found the two resistors with one of the ends snapped off. They were bypassing the system in order to install the aftermarket remote start that was no longer present on the truck. This would trick the truck into thinking it always had a key in the ignition. I am no mechanic but my dad was for the better part of my life but I can only imagine that the PASSLOCK sensor was getting a signal sometimes after the truck the was running and then on the other times when the resistors weren't making contact, causing the no start.
I took all the crap out, soldered the wires back together, heat shrinked, a VOILA! It started with no lights! It was extremely tight in there so getting the iron and holding the wires in place was a bitch. It may not be pretty but it will hold. Oh the joys of owning older vehicles, being stubborn and the relief you get when you get it fixed. I think I am going to do a victory burnout in front of the house to show my gf the old girl still got it [LOL]. She hates this truck but it just keeps going with 217K.
Broken yellow wire:
https://i.postimg.cc/PqMs6LS4/broken.jpg (https://postimg.cc/Y4js0SKG)
Broken Resistor:
https://i.postimg.cc/zv69LTfJ/rest2.jpg (https://postimg.cc/q6cmShnY)
Poor solder job:
https://i.postimg.cc/k41rm03R/repair1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/FdLCbnKh)
https://i.postimg.cc/brs7NmpC/rest.jpg (https://postimg.cc/QKZ4fkB1)
Eek. Scotchlocks are the worst thing ever invented. Might be worth your time to just get rid of all of them.
SouthPaw
12-20-2018, 16:03
Eek. Scotchlocks are the worst thing ever invented. Might be worth your time to just get rid of all of them.
That will be another project. All the wires are there from the aftermarket alarm system. I talked to Car Toys and I think I can get them to remove it all and clean it all up for $60.
Bailey Guns
12-20-2018, 16:07
Nice work. Sounds like the $60 for Car Toys might be some well-spent $$.
Now go ahead and take the rest of the day off and have a beer.
SideShow Bob
12-20-2018, 16:15
Good find and fix !
Don’t you feel like a doof when something like that was in front of your face the whole time....
But also feel like the “Man” when you do find it and fix it.
Warning, You will have the same intermittent problems sometime in the future, those solder joints on each end of that patch are what is called “cold solder joints”
Well done. Intermittent electrical faults are why mechanics go bald...two handfuls at a time.
SideShow Bob
12-20-2018, 16:23
I had a similar experience when trying to diagnose what in the ever - loving heck was wrong with my towing controller, even replaced the towing controller.
Long story short, I had bought the (used) truck from an electrician. After tracing the wiring back from the receiver hitch - all factory - towards the front of the truck, I found buried some of those clamp-on-garbage splice connectors, and new wiring running off of the factory.
After digging around the dash, I found the original factory connectors for the trailer-controller, plugged it in, and viola, it worked fine. For some reason I'll never understand, someone t-spliced the factory wiring, ran redundant "replacement" wires up to the exact same place, with the exact same connector.... and the factory wiring was fine. T-splice clamps are of course, about the worst electrical connection a person can make. So.. ]wtf. Can't image why someone would do that. Redneck trailer with left/right braking connections? [ROFL1] It only came with a single controller, so it still mystifies me.
Well, you know that plumbers have the worst pipes, and electricians have the worst wiring...... etc......
SouthPaw
12-20-2018, 17:14
I had a similar experience when trying to diagnose what in the ever - loving heck was wrong with my towing controller, even replaced the towing controller.
Long story short, I had bought the (used) truck from an electrician. After tracing the wiring back from the receiver hitch - all factory - towards the front of the truck, I found buried some of those clamp-on-garbage splice connectors, and new wiring running off of the factory.
After digging around the dash, I found the original factory connectors for the trailer-controller, plugged it in, and viola, it worked fine. For some reason I'll never understand, someone t-spliced the factory wiring, ran redundant "replacement" wires up to the exact same place, with the exact same connector.... and the factory wiring was fine. T-splice clamps are of course, about the worst electrical connection a person can make. So.. ]wtf. Can't image why someone would do that. Redneck trailer with left/right braking connections? [ROFL1] It only came with a single controller, so it still mystifies me.
More than likely because most people don't know that the factory harness for trailer brake controllers are stuffed up in the dash. He probably just assumed he was an electrician and everything has to be wired!
Just met with a member on a 40 min test drive and no lights! I'm stoked! In celebration, I am taking the girl to a paint and wine class and guess which vehicle we are taking?!
The Tahoe. We are taking the Tahoe because women are always right.
Congratulations! No success tastes as sweet as one like that!
hollohas
12-22-2018, 15:33
Modern auto's are insane. It's amazing they ever work with all the mess of wires, sensors, computers, etc.
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I'm always leery of letting some chimpanzee do any type of electrical work on my vehicles.....they often don't know the difference between a cold solder joint, how to use strain relief, and keeping wires from rubbing on surfaces or moving parts.
XC700116
12-23-2018, 12:53
I'm always leery of letting some chimpanzee do any type of electrical work on my vehicles.....they often don't know the difference between a cold solder joint, how to use strain relief, and keeping wires from rubbing on surfaces or moving parts.
^^^^THIS X 1000 Some of the hack jobs I've seen done by so called "reputable" Stereo and accessory shops drives me crazy.
BPTactical
12-23-2018, 12:57
But did you lube the muffler bearing while you were at it?
But did you lube the muffler bearing while you were at it?
And remember to check your blinker fluid.
I feel like you guys are describing the cars I've owned and worked on. Heh.
whitewalrus
12-23-2018, 13:16
217K miles is really nothing for the truck. It should go another 100K before major issues. And with the price of a new truck being what it is, probably better to keep fixing the old one :)
I'm at 217k on my vehicle as well. Let's race to 250k!
mindfold
12-23-2018, 13:43
I can relate. New motor swap in my 97 Cherokee. Had spark and fuel. Injectors not firing. Checked EVERYTHING!! I even have the service manuals. Took me weeks to figure out. Traced it back to a missing airbag relay. Jeep ran without it but once I reset the computer for the new motor, ECU needed signal from airbag system. Fired perfect once I put in the relay. Scared the hell out of me. Didn?t think that would be the issue.
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SouthPaw
12-23-2018, 15:03
Turned 218,001 last night. 250+ miles since the repair and no security light! By now, I would have had some issue with it at least turning on while driving. I originally bought this truck for a turbo LS build. I planned on putting some boost at the stock engine and when it lets go, replacing it with a mild built 5.3/6.0L with a 4L80E.
As my old boss used to say: “You’re either going to have a maintenance bill at the end of the month or a car payment; pick which ever is cheaper.” Since selling my truck and buying some old clunkers, I’ve managed to save quite a bit even when I do have to throw some money at them.
Turned 218,001 last night. 250+ miles since the repair and no security light! By now, I would have had some issue with it at least turning on while driving. I originally bought this truck for a turbo LS build. I planned on putting some boost at the stock engine and when it lets go, replacing it with a mild built 5.3/6.0L with a 4L80E.
That sounds like a Cleetus McFarland build.
SouthPaw
12-23-2018, 16:08
That sounds like a Cleetus McFarland build.
These trucks are so fun with boost and can handle quite a bit stock believe it or not. My buddies 1500 held a little more than 800 to the wheels and was completely stock aside from supporting fuel mods and a built trans.
Something like this: https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/denver-big-turbo-1971-ford-f100/6773675120.html
Finally read this thread....great job finding and fixing the problem!
If a guy is handy, that Ford truck is a DEAL. If it's honest.
These trucks are so fun with boost and can handle quite a bit stock believe it or not. My buddies 1500 held a little more than 800 to the wheels and was completely stock aside from supporting fuel mods and a built trans.
Something like this: https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/denver-big-turbo-1971-ford-f100/6773675120.html
Nice job, sometimes it takes a while to find the gremlin.
Martinjmpr
12-27-2018, 14:12
Congrats on the fix. Isn't it funny how when you find a problem and fix it, you actually feel BETTER than you would have if you'd never had the problem in the first place? [LOL]
I had a similar "triumph" early this month, though mine wasn't as troublesome. My '04 Suburban started throwing a CEL just before our big Thanksgiving trip to Texas. Fortunately I have a Scangauge so I was able to read the code and look it up - it was a P0161, right downstream 02 sensor. I reset it and kept going (the truck ran fine) but it would annoyingly come on every time I started up again.
I was all resigned to take it to a shop when I posted my issue on the Tahoe/Yukon forum and they said "Dude! It's an easy fix!" So I watched a YouTube video and sure enough, the sensor was on the exhaust below the cat (I had thought it was somewhere on the engine that would require me to take a lot of engine parts off in order to access it.) Bought a $45 sensor (with a $20 rebate) at Vato Zone, pulled the truck into the garage and swapped the sensor out in literally 20 minutes - and 10 minutes of that was me figuring out how to position the truck and how to jack it up so I could get under there with the creeper (yes, it was on jackstands!)
Even though it was an easy (and cheap!) fix I felt good knowing that I was able to do it myself.
It's also good to see that people are getting over 200k out of these GMT-800 trucks. Mine just turned over 180,000 and although I've been toying with the idea of getting a new(er) truck, the cost just pisses me off (not just the cost to buy but the exorbitant sales tax, registration fees and insurance on a newer vehicle.) So I've decided to keep the 'Burb for another year. If I drive about as much as I did in 2018 it should be right around 194,000 by December of next year and then I can decide whether I want to bite the bullet or try to keep the old gal running for another camping season.
Great-Kazoo
12-27-2018, 16:01
The best thing about doing any kind of repair work yourself. Is knowing you had it buttoned up a day before your chiro, or massage, appointment.
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