I've got some serious fubar-ness in my F350. Started it up after work today, ran fine. Then while taking a co-worker home, every time I hit a bump the truck would stutter/stall and the gauges would go wacko and the CEL would be on during that(namely the speedo, would bottom out and top out in a split second and bounce all over while it happens). Radio and stuff would cut out too.

Managed to drop off the co-worker, then on the way back I hit a bump and she stalled out completely. Put it in neutral while I was rolling to the side of the road, tried to start it. It did not turn over. Got out, opened the hood, checked my battery connections and they were tight (Thought they were loose). Not loose at all so I got back in the truck and it started up fine.

Drove home with the same issue when I hit bumps. Was parking on the street and when I put it in reverse it started to stall/stutter REALLY bad, nearly constantly. Did not die though.

Shut it off and started it, trying to recreate it. Didn't work a few times but then I got it to do it again. Got out and checked my battery terminals again, as well as the distributor wires and the alternator wires. Nothing was loose. So I get back in the truck and try to recreate it while going through the gears in place. Nothing. So I got for a drive and try to find bumps to hit. Nothing worked. Even hit this big 3" raised manhole cover and the only thing it did was cut out for a split second.

This thing has got me stumped. Any ideas?

 

Anyone? I really need this thing working.

 

Morning bump.

 

Sounds like you have a dead short to ground, a major one, battery jumping up hitting hood/fender lip for example. In your case sounds more like positive cable pinched or cut at some point grounding system out.

Might be dead short through alt but to that degree be pretty rare.

You better look it over real good, sounds like chance it could go up in cloud of smoke if left as is. Disconnect the battery then start chasing down cables until you find it.

 

Do I just need to chase down the main battery cables? I would think if it were something minor like a light or something that it wouldn't be able to kill the truck... but I really have no idea what I'm talking about there. I could check my hood to see if its sitting too low, but that battery isn't moving at all. Does anyone have a full wiring diagram for a 95 CCLB? I really don't know where to start chasing.

 

Yea I start with the mains, large enough short to kill the truck wouldn't be no little circuit it'd just blow the fuse, or burn the wire through.

Based on what you describe it should be fairly easy to spot, look for area looks like little bit of "welding" been attempted!

 

Thanks a bunch, I'll be looking in the morning to see what I can find!