Interesting electrical issues
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,771
Likes: 9
From: Western Washington
Interesting electrical issues
Went out and started the old rig today, it was pretty cold out there, we got our first snow. I finally got it going and looked at the gas gauge, nothing, oil pressure, nothing, turned on the heater, nothing! The engine runs good, and the battery cranked the engine nice and fast, but none of the electricals work.
Now here's the funny part: I shut the engine off, and turned the key back to on/run. All the electricals started working. I watched the gas gauge will rise up to 3/4 tank, the heater worked great, but as soon as I started it again all the electricals shut off.
The battery isn't the truck's usual battery, it's a spare OE battery from my dad's Focus. But shouldn't the alternator create enough juice to run all that stuff when the engine is running??
Could it be that once I start the engine it hogs all the electrical grounds?
Sam
Now here's the funny part: I shut the engine off, and turned the key back to on/run. All the electricals started working. I watched the gas gauge will rise up to 3/4 tank, the heater worked great, but as soon as I started it again all the electricals shut off.
The battery isn't the truck's usual battery, it's a spare OE battery from my dad's Focus. But shouldn't the alternator create enough juice to run all that stuff when the engine is running??
Could it be that once I start the engine it hogs all the electrical grounds?
Sam
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,196
Likes: 2
Some of my older/unrestored rigs do similar things. I usually find it to be a result of bad contacts. And it typically happens as it gets colder out, and then when the vehicle gets warm, everything usually comes back to life.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 796
Likes: 1
Gremlins, gotta love them. To prevent them just be sure not to feed your Mogwai after midnight, oh and never get it wet...... sorry, wrong type of Gremlin.
The type of battery shouldn't matter so long as your connections are solid.
Obviously you have an electrical issue of some type. Since the problem occurs when the vehicle is running, I would suggest looking at what changes when it is running. The most obvious is that the alternator is turning. Check your battery voltage without it running. Check it when it is running. Make sure all of your connections to and from the battery and the alternator and the voltage regulator are tight and corrosion free. Hopefully you'll turn up something.
You can remove the dash cluster and clean up all the terminals but that doesn't do anything to explain why it wouldn't work when it's running so I would really start elsewhere.
The type of battery shouldn't matter so long as your connections are solid.
Obviously you have an electrical issue of some type. Since the problem occurs when the vehicle is running, I would suggest looking at what changes when it is running. The most obvious is that the alternator is turning. Check your battery voltage without it running. Check it when it is running. Make sure all of your connections to and from the battery and the alternator and the voltage regulator are tight and corrosion free. Hopefully you'll turn up something.
You can remove the dash cluster and clean up all the terminals but that doesn't do anything to explain why it wouldn't work when it's running so I would really start elsewhere.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 124
Likes: 10
From: Chesapeake,Va.
I am going to vote that the grease in the key switch was stifff from the cold it hung up a little,keeping it from returning to the proper contacts. Some of mine have done it. Next time just wiggle the key and see if the gauges start working.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 735
Likes: 1
Make sure all your grounds are secure
There should be one from the firewall to the engine block/head
This often gets removed and forgotten about
There should be one from the firewall to the engine block/head
This often gets removed and forgotten about
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Fleet Mechanic
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From: Western Washington
Sam
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