1966 Won't Start - Need Help
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1966 Won't Start - Need Help
I have a 1966 F100 that i use as my daily driver. I started it up yesterday morning and was warming it up. I turned the headlights on and it died and hasn't cranked since. I've got 12.9vdc at the battery but now the lights won't come on and the ALT light doesn't come on. In fact, nothing happens. What does the light switch and the ignition have in common, if anything. I'm humbled to ask for help, but HELP and thanks. (As info, this has a fairly new ignition switch).
Paul
Paul
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Battery load test. Voltage doesn't mean anything on a battery.. it's the amps behind it. Sounds like to me your alternator and or regulator wasn't working properly to keep it charged. Take the battery to a local parts store, juice it and and have them test it, if good.. check your alternator for any broken wires. If that's good take pos cable off while running and see if it dies. If so you may have a bum regulator.
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Tried it with a known good battery and no change. Superbean - I can't get it started to do the test above. Is there anyway to test the regulator (ohm maybe) without it running? Tom - the lights don't come on at all. Absolutely nothing getting to them. All fuses under the steering column are good.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Sewanee, Tennessee
I would check your main battery cables....breaks/connections. I would also check the main electrical line connections from alternator/battery/etc. It sounds to me like a connection is not.....connected. Mine did that when I first got my truck. Found out that the tiny connectors at the ends of two wires had become almost completely disconnected. A 5-minute replacement and it hasn't done it since.
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My66 and MAC - I'll check them out tomorrow evening. Thanks everyone for the help. Remember - it was running and when I turned the lights on, it died. I was hoping there would be some mysterious fuse that's hiding from me. Tomorrow's another day.
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Follow the Positive battery cable down to the starter solenoid, it is only about 12-14 inches long.
The main wiring harness connects to the same stud as the positive battery cable. Remove the nut and wiring connection, and ensure this connection is clean and tight.
Next, inspect this wiring harness for melting, corrosion or breakage as mentioned above, especially at the ring connector on the solenoid. This wiring harness supplies all the power to the truck, so I suspect there is a broken connection along this path.
This main harness winds around behind the engine to a bulkhead connector on the firewall near the steering column. If your checks and or repairs to this point haven't solved the problem, pull this connector, and inspect it for corrosion and broken internal connectors.
Do you have a factory installed ammeter? If so, then it or the wiring to it may have failed, or the wiring may have shorted out. If none of the steps solve the problem, please post back if you have an ammeter or not, as this will introduce alterations to the troubleshooting procedures.
The main wiring harness connects to the same stud as the positive battery cable. Remove the nut and wiring connection, and ensure this connection is clean and tight.
Next, inspect this wiring harness for melting, corrosion or breakage as mentioned above, especially at the ring connector on the solenoid. This wiring harness supplies all the power to the truck, so I suspect there is a broken connection along this path.
This main harness winds around behind the engine to a bulkhead connector on the firewall near the steering column. If your checks and or repairs to this point haven't solved the problem, pull this connector, and inspect it for corrosion and broken internal connectors.
Do you have a factory installed ammeter? If so, then it or the wiring to it may have failed, or the wiring may have shorted out. If none of the steps solve the problem, please post back if you have an ammeter or not, as this will introduce alterations to the troubleshooting procedures.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Sewanee, Tennessee
When my truck was being difficult, I could be driving and lose all power for seemingly no reason. I thought my truck was overheating because if it sat for 10 or more minutes, it would start again. No real rhyme or reason. There's no telling why pulling the light switch caused electrical failure, but it could have just been the straw that melted the last of a tenuous connection. Good luck with the hunt...
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Thanks everyone for the help. I haven't had much time to get into it this week. Confederate - Great advice and I will try all of that. I have an ammeter that appears to be an add on. It is one of two gauges mounted below the instrument panel. The other is oil pressure. The cable that is mounted with the positive terminal on the starter solenoid is a tan colored cable that goes thru the fire wall next to the wiring harness plug you mention above. I did unplug the harness and the plug had some corrosion. When I get a chance, I'll clean it up and make sure nothing is broken. Again, thanks for the help. I'll let you know in a few days how it goes.
Posting Guru
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From: Rossmoor at Seal Beach
Thanks everyone for the help. I haven't had much time to get into it this week. Confederate - Great advice and I will try all of that. I have an ammeter that appears to be an add on. It is one of two gauges mounted below the instrument panel. The other is oil pressure. The cable that is mounted with the positive terminal on the starter solenoid is a tan colored cable that goes thru the fire wall next to the wiring harness plug you mention above. I did unplug the harness and the plug had some corrosion. When I get a chance, I'll clean it up and make sure nothing is broken. Again, thanks for the help. I'll let you know in a few days how it goes.
I had a similar problem, I turned on my stereo and the engine died and wouldn't restart... it was the connections on the starter solenoid, I replaced with a new solenoid, and new wire ends and all is good now. Two of the connections were slip connections, and they had just slid off, and one of the studs on the solenoid was loose. Bumps would trigger it too! I think Confederate is on the right track!
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Wisconsin
Start with the obvious and simple. Battery connections at the battery, starter solenoid, starter. Check and clean both the positive and negative cables. It sounds like the classic bad/corroded connection problem. Good Luck!!