'65 F250 electrical issue?
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New User
Joined: Dec 2010
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From: Seattle
'65 F250 electrical issue?
Picked this up a few months ago and it's been running pretty reliably up until recently. I'm ok with a wrench, though not a lot of experience, but not worth much when it comes to electrical. A few symptoms.
• Alt indicator occasionally fluctuates and has recently been holding steady at 60.
• There doesn't seem to be a good charge getting to the battery. At times it starts fine, other times it kills the battery after a couple turns of the engine. The battery takes a good charge on my charger.
• At one point no power was getting to the instrument panel, turn signals or stereo. Shut her down and restarted about 30 minutes later and all was fine.
I'm not sure how to go about testing the system but my first thought is to swap out the alternator. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm hoping to do some restore on this as money/time allows but would like to start with getting to be a reliable runner. You'll be seeing more posts from me in the coming months!
Thanks!
Chad
• Alt indicator occasionally fluctuates and has recently been holding steady at 60.
• There doesn't seem to be a good charge getting to the battery. At times it starts fine, other times it kills the battery after a couple turns of the engine. The battery takes a good charge on my charger.
• At one point no power was getting to the instrument panel, turn signals or stereo. Shut her down and restarted about 30 minutes later and all was fine.
I'm not sure how to go about testing the system but my first thought is to swap out the alternator. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm hoping to do some restore on this as money/time allows but would like to start with getting to be a reliable runner. You'll be seeing more posts from me in the coming months!
Thanks!
Chad
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 11,564
Likes: 4
From: Tucson
Welcome to Ford-Trucks.com Chad,
best i could tell ya would be to start at the alt and check all the conections then go to the starter solenoid and check conections there and so on....
maybe you'll get lucky and find a simple loose wire.
Good Luck!
best i could tell ya would be to start at the alt and check all the conections then go to the starter solenoid and check conections there and so on....
maybe you'll get lucky and find a simple loose wire.
Good Luck!
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New User
Joined: Dec 2010
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From: Seattle
Thanks, Bill. Appreciate the reply. I've been scouring these posts (I'm about page 60 now) reading through everything I can that might be helpful when I get into the truck. It's a lot of fun and gets me really excited, but also clear that I am going to be spending a lot of money on this thing. Still better than buying new in my opinion.
I'll poke around on this weekend and see what I find.
thanks.
I'll poke around on this weekend and see what I find.
thanks.
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 413
Likes: 2
First check the firewall connections before splurging on a new alternator. Then while the engine is running, check the output voltage on the alternator. That sure clear up whether or not it is charging. Those firewall connectors are known trouble spots though. After that, it's checking every connection from end to end.
Fun stuff!
Fun stuff!
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,305
Likes: 18
From: Boulder Creek, Ca
Looks like other members have mentioned checking firewall connector, alternator circuit connections and ground wires. Just wanted to take this opportunity to welcome you to the family of Ford Truck Enthusiast, post pic's if and when you can. Looking forward to your input!!.
Posting few circuits from the 65 electrical wiring manual; 65 and 66 are same, if not very simular. WIth these ole vintage classics the electrical gremlins can be a pain in the backside and drive a sane person crazy, if decide to purchase a manual don't suggest purchasing the laminated color coded sheet that one finds on ebay, Jim Osborn reproductions offers an electrical manual for around $7 plus shipping. Again welcome to FTE.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...gncharge-2.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...reDiagP5-1.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...Diag0001-1.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...WireDiagP7.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...FuseBlock1.jpg
Posting few circuits from the 65 electrical wiring manual; 65 and 66 are same, if not very simular. WIth these ole vintage classics the electrical gremlins can be a pain in the backside and drive a sane person crazy, if decide to purchase a manual don't suggest purchasing the laminated color coded sheet that one finds on ebay, Jim Osborn reproductions offers an electrical manual for around $7 plus shipping. Again welcome to FTE.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...gncharge-2.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...reDiagP5-1.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...Diag0001-1.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...WireDiagP7.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...FuseBlock1.jpg
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New User
Joined: Dec 2010
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From: Seattle
Thanks Dave, this is awesome. Should help a lot. Weather permitting, being in Seattle with no cover for it to speak of, I'll get into it this weekend and let you'all know what I find. Really grateful for the help and looking forward to learning as much from you guys as I can.
c.
c.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,091
Likes: 14
From: Tucson, Arizona
Before you replace your alternator or voltage regulator, take them to O'Reilly Auto Parts or AutoZone or someplace like that and have them ops checked for free. (They have to be removed from the truck.) That should eliminate them (or confirm them) as the source of your problem without having wasted money on new ones without really knowing. Corrosion on wiring connections (and battery terminals) and poor grounds can cause many weird electrical malfunctions. Look the wires over for cracked/deteriorated insulation, especially in the engine bay which is a pretty hostile environment. Can you tell if the wiring looks original, or has it been "improved" by some PO? Osiyo59 has a current post (27 years in the waiting) in which he recently experienced some electrical gremlins (on pages 2 and 3) and found some solutions - maybe that will help you. Good luck!
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New User
Joined: Dec 2010
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From: Seattle
SS- good advise. I'll check the wiring as best I can and if I can't find anything obvious I'll pull the parts an have them checked. There's an O'Reilly's not far away from me.
Thanks,
c.
Thanks,
c.
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