1978 No starting, power issues
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From: San Antonio, TX
1978 No starting, power issues
When my truck was running a couple days ago, if the truck was idling and the bass hit, the radio would go out. It didn't used to do this and this would not happen at higher RPMs, only at idle.
Yesterday, my truck wouldn't start. I turn the key and no clicks, no nothing. If I put the key into "Accessory" mode, the interior lights are bright, but the radio turns on and immediately off every couple seconds.
In "Run" with the engine not running, the interior lights dim and flicker, but radio won't turn on.
The headlights never turn on.
I tried a different battery, replaced the starter solenoid, alternator and voltage regulator, checked battery ground and nothing's changed. No click, no crank, no headlights, funky radio turning on and off.
Tonight when I have another set of hands, I'm going to check the voltage when someone else is attempting to start the engine and see if I have voltage to the starter.
Any ideas? I don't know what else to do...
(oh, and this is a new issue. The truck has been running fine for years)
Yesterday, my truck wouldn't start. I turn the key and no clicks, no nothing. If I put the key into "Accessory" mode, the interior lights are bright, but the radio turns on and immediately off every couple seconds.
In "Run" with the engine not running, the interior lights dim and flicker, but radio won't turn on.
The headlights never turn on.
I tried a different battery, replaced the starter solenoid, alternator and voltage regulator, checked battery ground and nothing's changed. No click, no crank, no headlights, funky radio turning on and off.
Tonight when I have another set of hands, I'm going to check the voltage when someone else is attempting to start the engine and see if I have voltage to the starter.
Any ideas? I don't know what else to do...
(oh, and this is a new issue. The truck has been running fine for years)
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check all your grounds when i put a big amp in my 79 i had to run 3 grounds with bigger wire from the batt neg one went to the body one to the frame and the biggest one i put on the motor that help my probs out them old fords are finikey with grounds and them your pulling all that extra juice to the amp.
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From: Virginia
You holding your meter at different spots WHILE SOMEONE IS TRYING TO START THE TRUCK is the way to troubleshoot this. Poking around with a meter without trying to crank it will tell you nothing.
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From: San Antonio, TX
Ok, so I measured the voltage in a couple places. 12 volts across the battery, 12 volts to the starter solenoid. No voltage on the other end of the starter solenoid when attempting to crank though. Does this mean maybe a bad ignition switch?
But a bad ignition switch wouldn't cause the headlights to not work... right?
But a bad ignition switch wouldn't cause the headlights to not work... right?
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From: San Antonio, TX
Ok, when I do that the engine tries to turn over. I just bought a new starter solenoid so that's not it. Is it something as simple as the ignition switch or am I still looking for a short or bad ground or something? The ground to the engine block looks good and is nice thick wire.
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From: Virginia
The engine was cranking with the small jumper, so your battery, large cables and starter are ok.
You have a small wire problem. There is a small wire that feeds the whole electrical system, and it's hooked at point #3 under the large battery terminal. This smaller wire leads to a fusible link, and then goes to a splice with other fusible links. It then goes into the cab and there is another "y" or splice, and one leg feeds the ignition switch, and the other leg feeds the hot all the time fuses in the fuse box. I would start by unwrapping the harness out on the pass side inner fender, and see if you have a bad spot in some of this wiring with the fusible links.
You have a small wire problem. There is a small wire that feeds the whole electrical system, and it's hooked at point #3 under the large battery terminal. This smaller wire leads to a fusible link, and then goes to a splice with other fusible links. It then goes into the cab and there is another "y" or splice, and one leg feeds the ignition switch, and the other leg feeds the hot all the time fuses in the fuse box. I would start by unwrapping the harness out on the pass side inner fender, and see if you have a bad spot in some of this wiring with the fusible links.
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From: San Antonio, TX
Ok, I found a orange rubber boot type thing on the small wire from point #3 leading to the alternator. I don't know how to locate the actual fuseable link though. Sliding the orange boot just has more wire underneath that isn't bulged or anything.
I found some hacked together wires that look a little corroded though. I'm uploading a picture in a minute.
The black hacked wire is coming from point #3, going to the alternator. The spliced-in yellow/black wires are going into the cab I believe. The point where they are connected looks nasty with corrosion. Maybe this is the culprit?
I found some hacked together wires that look a little corroded though. I'm uploading a picture in a minute.
The black hacked wire is coming from point #3, going to the alternator. The spliced-in yellow/black wires are going into the cab I believe. The point where they are connected looks nasty with corrosion. Maybe this is the culprit?
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From: San Antonio, TX
Ok, well its not that connection. There is voltage going through it. It's also not the ignition switch, which you already knew.
So I guess I have to go further through the wires to see what the problem is.
EDIT:
I don't know what I'm doing... I've been trying to trace wires into the cab and I can't find a single noticeable thing wrong. I may have to hire a wrecker to take it to a shop... ugg...
After rereading your post, I did find the two spliced fuseable links I believe. They look fine though and I don't know how to check if they are bad.
EDIT AGAIN:
Okay, so these are the two spliced sections I found. They both go from that one wire to the cab. But the splice/link in the first picture isn't on the same fat black/yellow wire as in the second picture. The black/yellow wire is only getting around 9 volts inside the cab there, both before and after the splice/link. This same wire is getting 13 volts at that nasty junction the previous owner made in the first picture in my previous post.
So I guess I have to go further through the wires to see what the problem is.
EDIT:
I don't know what I'm doing... I've been trying to trace wires into the cab and I can't find a single noticeable thing wrong. I may have to hire a wrecker to take it to a shop... ugg...
After rereading your post, I did find the two spliced fuseable links I believe. They look fine though and I don't know how to check if they are bad.
EDIT AGAIN:
Okay, so these are the two spliced sections I found. They both go from that one wire to the cab. But the splice/link in the first picture isn't on the same fat black/yellow wire as in the second picture. The black/yellow wire is only getting around 9 volts inside the cab there, both before and after the splice/link. This same wire is getting 13 volts at that nasty junction the previous owner made in the first picture in my previous post.
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From: San Antonio, TX
Ok weird. So that 9 volts I was measuring was when I was using the dashboard as a ground. The 13 volts was when I was using the battery negative post as a ground.
All the fusible links along that black/yellow wire are all fine I believe. They're all measuring that 9 volts when using the dashboard as a ground.
I did find another fusible link along the black/yellow wire but it was okay too.
All the fusible links along that black/yellow wire are all fine I believe. They're all measuring that 9 volts when using the dashboard as a ground.
I did find another fusible link along the black/yellow wire but it was okay too.
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From: Virginia
What happens if you bolt a jumper wire from the engine to the firewall? There should already be one there from one of the bellhousing bolts to the firewall. If you wanted to do a quick test, hook a jumper cable to the negative of the battery, and hook the other end to a place on the firewall sheetmetal where there is no paint.
Your large ground is good, since the starter is working with the jumper. The problem is the large wire is bolted to the engine(to serve the starter) but the engine and the transmission are mounted in rubber mounts, as well as the rearend(leaf springs bushings). The way the factory grounded the sheetmetal was with little ground straps here and there to tie the engine block to the sheetmetal. Usually these are forgotten and left off during a engine or tranny change. Yours may be corroded.
Your large ground is good, since the starter is working with the jumper. The problem is the large wire is bolted to the engine(to serve the starter) but the engine and the transmission are mounted in rubber mounts, as well as the rearend(leaf springs bushings). The way the factory grounded the sheetmetal was with little ground straps here and there to tie the engine block to the sheetmetal. Usually these are forgotten and left off during a engine or tranny change. Yours may be corroded.
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Joined: Nov 2005
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From: San Antonio, TX
What happens if you bolt a jumper wire from the engine to the firewall? There should already be one there from one of the bellhousing bolts to the firewall. If you wanted to do a quick test, hook a jumper cable to the negative of the battery, and hook the other end to a place on the firewall sheetmetal where there is no paint.
Your large ground is good, since the starter is working with the jumper. The problem is the large wire is bolted to the engine(to serve the starter) but the engine and the transmission are mounted in rubber mounts, as well as the rearend(leaf springs bushings). The way the factory grounded the sheetmetal was with little ground straps here and there to tie the engine block to the sheetmetal. Usually these are forgotten and left off during a engine or tranny change. Yours may be corroded.
Your large ground is good, since the starter is working with the jumper. The problem is the large wire is bolted to the engine(to serve the starter) but the engine and the transmission are mounted in rubber mounts, as well as the rearend(leaf springs bushings). The way the factory grounded the sheetmetal was with little ground straps here and there to tie the engine block to the sheetmetal. Usually these are forgotten and left off during a engine or tranny change. Yours may be corroded.
Looks like this may be the problem. I turned on the headlight switch, and jumped from the cab to the negative battery post and the headlights turned on! I'm going to wait for it to cool off and I'm going to make a secure ground and report back.
EDIT: That was indeed the problem. I put a ground wire from the battery to the cab and everything works great now. Thanks a bunch for the help. I don't think I would have figured it out otherwise.
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