Frustrations from a C20 - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**dtkarst** · 11-30-2014, 07:13 PM

I had bought a 65 C20 a few months ago with a crate 350, hei dist., etc. Rusty old thing but a very solid driver. That was until one day when i parked it and came out the next morning to start it and nothing. Had nothing with it, no turn over or anything. Full voltage everywhere. Tried a new ignition, nothing, so i checked all my wiring, nothing. I let it sit for awhile while I was busy with work and revisited it two weeks ago. Tried on it for awhile and figured id get a new distributor. So I ordered one, got it and installed yesterday. AAAND nothing. same as before. Just as I was about to lose it I bumped the plug and connector on the firewall near the heater, and it came apart. I thought no way thatd be my problem, so I plugged it back in and went in and tried it. Started right up. Of course. Very frustrating times on these things sometimes lol

61_FL_Apache · 11-30-2014, 07:27 PM

Glad you figured it out!

**dtkarst** · 11-30-2014, 08:06 PM

As am I! But man did it get frustrating..especially after it ran perfect before I parked it

spacedebris · 11-30-2014, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtkarst

As am I! But man did it get frustrating..especially after it ran perfect before I parked it

Read that and instantly got a mind flash

"RAN GOOD WHEN PARKED 20 YEARS AGO!"

**dtkarst** · 12-01-2014, 01:24 AM

I think we have all heard that before lol

**Clyde65** · 12-01-2014, 09:02 AM

So it was the plug on the ballast resistor??

**dtkarst** · 12-01-2014, 11:19 PM

It was the plug on the firewall on the passenger side of the trans tunnel towards the top

cooperhw · 12-02-2014, 08:14 AM

That right there is why I always try to chase the power backwards from where you "don't have power" where it's needed to where you "do have power". Then you can isolate where the loss of power is at.
I guess you can go the other direction to but this method has always worked for me. Usually it's a point of connection or even the key switch. Very seldom is it actually in a wire that is good on one end and no power on the other.
Glad you figured it out.
Now you need to sell those new parts for about half what you paid for them. My motto is "buy high, sell low". It keeps me straight.

**Clyde65** · 12-02-2014, 08:51 AM

AH! the one that has all the ignition wires in it. I hate that plug!

sixysixss · 12-02-2014, 12:04 PM

I had the same problem, though mine was intermittent. Finally traced the problem to the firewall plug. I ended up running a new wire directly to the starter.

**dtkarst** · 12-02-2014, 02:02 PM

Yeah it made me feel like an idiot haha but i cant complain because it does run and will return to being my driver. Im itching for a driver truck since i realized ive bought so many of these trucks and only been able to actually drive a handful of them lol So now i can park the duramax and keep miles off of it. Always the fun part about these things, they are always good at making you look silly

11-30-2014, 07:13 PM	#1
dtkarst Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Hays, KS Posts: 2,490	Frustrations from a C20 I had bought a 65 C20 a few months ago with a crate 350, hei dist., etc. Rusty old thing but a very solid driver. That was until one day when i parked it and came out the next morning to start it and nothing. Had nothing with it, no turn over or anything. Full voltage everywhere. Tried a new ignition, nothing, so i checked all my wiring, nothing. I let it sit for awhile while I was busy with work and revisited it two weeks ago. Tried on it for awhile and figured id get a new distributor. So I ordered one, got it and installed yesterday. AAAND nothing. same as before. Just as I was about to lose it I bumped the plug and connector on the firewall near the heater, and it came apart. I thought no way thatd be my problem, so I plugged it back in and went in and tried it. Started right up. Of course. Very frustrating times on these things sometimes lol

11-30-2014, 07:27 PM	#2
61_FL_Apache Who Me? Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL Posts: 4,067	Re: Frustrations from a C20 Glad you figured it out! __________________ Steve 1997 Tahoe LT 4D 2WD (DD) 2001 Blazer 4D 2WD 1961 Apache 10 (sold) 1965 C10 Stepper (sold)

11-30-2014, 08:06 PM	#3
dtkarst Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Hays, KS Posts: 2,490	Re: Frustrations from a C20 As am I! But man did it get frustrating..especially after it ran perfect before I parked it

12-01-2014, 01:24 AM	#5
dtkarst Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Hays, KS Posts: 2,490	Re: Frustrations from a C20 I think we have all heard that before lol

12-01-2014, 09:02 AM	#6
Clyde65 1965 Chevy C10, 2005 4.8L/4l60 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: DFW Texas Posts: 8,546	Re: Frustrations from a C20 So it was the plug on the ballast resistor?? __________________ Clyde65 Rebuild of Clyde http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...84#post8338184 69 Aristocrat Lo Liner build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...84#post7561684 *support our troops!*

12-01-2014, 11:19 PM	#7
dtkarst Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Hays, KS Posts: 2,490	Re: Frustrations from a C20 It was the plug on the firewall on the passenger side of the trans tunnel towards the top

12-02-2014, 08:14 AM	#8
cooperhw Registered User Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Mesa AZ (Near Phoenix) Posts: 2,302	Re: Frustrations from a C20 That right there is why I always try to chase the power backwards from where you "don't have power" where it's needed to where you "do have power". Then you can isolate where the loss of power is at. I guess you can go the other direction to but this method has always worked for me. Usually it's a point of connection or even the key switch. Very seldom is it actually in a wire that is good on one end and no power on the other. Glad you figured it out. Now you need to sell those new parts for about half what you paid for them. My motto is "buy high, sell low". It keeps me straight. __________________ "Life is too short to drive a boring vehicle". Later, Wayne

12-02-2014, 08:51 AM	#9
Clyde65 1965 Chevy C10, 2005 4.8L/4l60 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: DFW Texas Posts: 8,546	Re: Frustrations from a C20 AH! the one that has all the ignition wires in it. I hate that plug! __________________ Clyde65 Rebuild of Clyde http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...84#post8338184 69 Aristocrat Lo Liner build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...84#post7561684 *support our troops!*

12-02-2014, 12:04 PM	#10
sixysixss Registered User Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Chatsworth, CA Posts: 30	Re: Frustrations from a C20 I had the same problem, though mine was intermittent. Finally traced the problem to the firewall plug. I ended up running a new wire directly to the starter. __________________ Rob 1966 GMC 1500

12-02-2014, 02:02 PM	#11
dtkarst Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Hays, KS Posts: 2,490	Re: Frustrations from a C20 Yeah it made me feel like an idiot haha but i cant complain because it does run and will return to being my driver. Im itching for a driver truck since i realized ive bought so many of these trucks and only been able to actually drive a handful of them lol So now i can park the duramax and keep miles off of it. Always the fun part about these things, they are always good at making you look silly

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