Ok, I was under the hood of my 1996 C1500 today, for totally unrelated issues, but something I've wondered over the years is... what exactly is this connector pigtail (circled in YELLOW) that is just dangling next to the AC compressor? I am wondering if it was used on the OEM compressor, and is not used on the 4Seasons aftermarket compressor that is on there now, but I just don't know.... I've probably swapped the compressor on this truck twice since it was new, and have long since forgotten if that wire went to the OEM compressor...

Any info appreciated!




In the long run it may not matter. I drove the 1996 to the dentist this morning, and needed a tow home when it wouldn't start, even with a jump. Not even a CLICK when turning the key. The tow truck driver got under there and beat on the starter and it would then engage the solenoid, so his and my thoughts were "bad starter" for sure. I got it off at lunch, took it to Autozone, and the 20-something girl who was training a younger teenage boy behind the counter ran it on the tester, which said "good". But, I am not 100% convinced they hooked it up right, and they may have put juice directly on the motor, and not had it routed through the solenoid contacts. So I got a new starter anyway to replace the 28 year old OEM starter.

Before you ask, the first thing I did before calling for a tow was swap the AC and starter relays in the box under the hood, thinking it might be a relay.

Gonna put that starter on after work, reconnect the battery and other cables, and pray for ignition. If not... I have this horrible fear of a seized engine, although it has been running great lately, as I've been working on the start of a restoration.

 

Update - new starter did the trick. Also had to crimp a new connector on the end of the solenoid wire. All made fun with the truck pointed downhill on a slope to where I couldn’t jack it up. 28 years of grease and grime on the bottom of the engine transferred nicely to my forearms, haha.