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B

black

Member
Hi all , got a 1990 chevy 305 auto and the gauges
click and bounce back and forth when I turn the key
and it won't crank . A message says "check gauges "
Anybody ever experience that nonsence before . I
use the truck to float my light AC -- WC -- WD45 .

Thanks in advance -- Larry -- ont.
 
Could be as simple as a low battery or bad cable connection. Try the head lights, if they come on, hit the starter, see if they go off. If so it's not getting enough power to crank.

Make sure the chassis ground is connected, look at the main wiring connections, where the big red wires distribute power from the battery to the various systems. The connections are behind the plastic cover along the top of the firewall under the hood.

A test light is the easiest tool for checking the circuits. Best to check under load, have a helper hit the starter while you check.
 
I had similar problems with my father in law's mid-80's GMC pickup. Problem turned out to be a worn-out ignition switch.

However before you tear into the switch, first check for simple things like a bad battery terminal, dirty ground connections (both battery to engine and engine to cab), corroded battery cables and a failing battery.
 
Frame to body ground can/will cause odd problems like that as will ay sort of bad/poor connections and the new the machine the more likely to be having odd problems due to a simple wiring problem
 
My 1990 3/4 ton with 350 is parked right now, looking for the right computer board. My truck keeps blowing the ECP fuse, At least I think that is what the fuse is. Truck just shuts off...dead ! Change the fuse ,starts right up, could run for days, or minutes . Pain to find the right board, with out shelling out too much $$$ Could this be your issue too?
 
Is it the "ECM" fuse?


Not to say it's not possible, but what makes you sure it's the computer, when there's also dozens of wires and probably sensors that could probably short intermittently and blow the same fuse?
 
Find a good pair of booster cables, connect both red and black at one end of the set to the NEGATIVE battery terminal (IGNORE the + terminal), then clamp one lead at the other end to a clean spot on the engine and the other to the body structure, creating a new ground path from the engine block AND the body to the battery.

(The red and black clamps don't matter as we are using BOTH leads and all four clamps as grounds.)

Try to start it and see what happens.
 
Thanks for the correction Bob, I never have been too good at remembering these Alphabet soup names. We tested it , and the code reader tell us there is a bad prong in the board. Friend of mine is a old GM mechanic, his opinion and work, not mine. Bruce
 
It's an electrical issue. Either a bad ground or you need a new battery. Happened to me on a 05 Taurus. The 6 mo old Interstate battery was no good. Replaced battery, end of problem.
 
Is the mating multi-pin connector bad as well?

What's the GM number of the 'puter you need?

There should be quite a few that will fit by simply swapping your calibration PROM into the replacement 'puter.

You don't happen to remember the code it threw, do you?
 
No Bob ,I have very limited knowledge on this sort of thing, and have to rely of my friend. I do have a line on a run 3/4 ton 2wd pickup from the same year , with the same 350 in it , that I can buy for $450. . So I think I might do this, and take any other parts I might need, then scrap out the other truck. Thanks for your replies, I like to learn what I can from others like your self.
 
I bet you need an oil pressure sensor. The originals on those were metal and redundant power for the fuel pump runs through it. They short internally and blow the fuse. Unplug the oil pressure sender and run it for a couple days to try.
 
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