The Stupid Electronics Questions Thread

[HotWheelsBurban]

Can any help me out on the ID of some wires under the dash? I just got my 89 running & I'm trying to fix everything up that I can find. Well these wires have me perplexed, where does that plug go? Would anyone have the slightest idea about those 3 (orange, white, black) spliced together like that?

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Purple wire on Chevy is usually ignition related, like for the ignition switch to activate the starter solenoid. At least back to '55, and through the '90 model square body trucks. Learned this from my dad when we had to wire around an aftermarket alarm/kill switch on our old R2500 Burb when we had to swap the battery. Not fun when everyone at Wally world is looking at you funny cause it looks like you're stealing your own truck.....
Could be something like this was done by a previous owner.

 

[AK49BWL]

New member and first post.. thanks for letting me joine..

I have a 89 gmc sierra c1500 with a 350 and 4l60e.

When I turn the key to on, some electric motor starts going, it's not the blower motor, almost sounds like a electric antenna motor, or something for the vents? But my truck has no electric antenna.. just trying to figure out what it is, it will also turn on when I turn the truck off, runs for about 10 seconds or so then stops..

Recirculation door motor most likely. Under the glove box area. Chances are it stripped out its gears. It'll run for 20 seconds at power up and again at power down.

Purple wire on Chevy is usually ignition related, like for the ignition switch to activate the starter solenoid. At least back to '55, and through the '90 model square body trucks. Learned this from my dad when we had to wire around an aftermarket alarm/kill switch on our old R2500 Burb when we had to swap the battery. Not fun when everyone at Wally world is looking at you funny cause it looks like you're stealing your own truck.....
Could be something like this was done by a previous owner.

That purple wire is too small gauge for ignition. Purple is used for the starter output, but it's at least 14 gauge - that is 18-20 in the pic. If I had to guess, it might be for the digital display dimming. Purple really isn't used much on the earlier models.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Recirculation door motor most likely. Under the glove box area. Chances are it stripped out its gears. It'll run for 20 seconds at power up and again at power down.


That purple wire is too small gauge for ignition. Purple is used for the starter output, but it's at least 14 gauge - that is 18-20 in the pic. If I had to guess, it might be for the digital display dimming. Purple really isn't used much on the earlier models.

OK thanks I stand corrected!

 

[Wh4t3v3rs]

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[Donald Mitchell]

New member and first post.. thanks for letting me joine..

I have a 89 gmc sierra c1500 with a 350 and 4l60e.

When I turn the key to on, some electric motor starts going, it's not the blower motor, almost sounds like a electric antenna motor, or something for the vents? But my truck has no electric antenna.. just trying to figure out what it is, it will also turn on when I turn the truck off, runs for about 10 seconds or so then stops..

Fuel pump.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Fuel pump.

The fuel pump comes on for 2 seconds when you turn the key on but, it doesn't come back on when you turn the key off. It sounds more like the fresh air blend door closing when you turn the key on and opening when you turn the key off.

 

[Tractor joe]

Fuel pump.

Definitely not the fuel pump, the noise is from under the dash..

Will check out the fresh air goodie.. need to install a new blower motor too

 

[Wilecoyote]

I recently found out my 3rd door truck has pillar speakers.I only found out by messing w the knobs cause my 22yo door speakers are sounding worse recently, probably because I've been cranking up the volume.The driverside is dead, the passenger pillar crackles and wants to work. Are the pillar speakers prone to problems from moisture or wiring?

 

[AK49BWL]

Nah, they're just prone to aging badly lol. And they're only 4x6 speakers back there.

 

[cpapeter]

New member here - first cry for help.

The green headlight indicator on my dash is on when the headlights are off. It goes off when I turn them on. EXCEPT - it also goes off if I set the parking brake, which turns on the brake indicator light on the dash. Seems kind of weird to me. But I've never had a GM truck before. Perhaps this is normal?