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Nov 20, 2015 | 11:20 AM

kaden78ford390

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Need some advice

Well i replaced my wires for the ignition system harness that comes out of the firewall passenger side in the engine bay, and i got everything hooked up but i dont get power to anything at all. Rear lights, side markers, nothing. Put a charged battery in it and tried again and nothing. Took 2 screwdrivers to the two ends of the starter relay, starter turned for about 2 seconds. Now it doesnt turn at all...so im wondering maybe the starter relay is bad? Shorted? All the wires are hooked up right and for some reason the alternator started getting hot? Very confused. Just wondering what i should do to fix this problem. New starter? New starter relay? If you can help me out I'd appreciate a reply or a PM and maybe someone can help me figure this out. Thanks guys *EDIT*:I forgot to add that its a 78 f-150 single cab automatic 2wd with a 1965 390 FE in it.

Nov 20, 2015 | 02:32 PM

jas88

Lead Driver

Joined: Feb 2002

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From: Greater Austin, Texas

Quote:

All the wires are hooked up right

Given the problems you are experiencing, what do you base this statement on?

Nov 20, 2015 | 03:20 PM

77&79F250

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Joined: Feb 2007

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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaden78ford390

Well i replaced my wires for the ignition system harness that comes out of the firewall passenger side in the engine bay, WHY what was wrong in the 1st place?

and i got everything hooked up but i dont get power to anything at all. Rear lights, side markers, nothing. should of done more trouble shooting than Put a charged battery in it and tried again and nothing.

Worse thing to do it you have something possible wired up wrong Took 2 screwdrivers to the two ends of the starter relay, starter turned for about 2 seconds. Now it doesnt turn at all...so im wondering maybe the starter relay is bad? Shorted? All the wires are hooked up right and for some reason the alternator started getting hot? Very confused. Just wondering what i should do to fix this problem. New starter? New starter relay

You should of stated your original problem, system fault or issue. Then got some assistance on wiring and troubleshooting. Then once you confirmed that you had a wiring problem and that is what needed replaced, then replaced it step by step with color coded tape tags.

Things are NOT wired up correct if it things will not work, it will not turn over with the key or start and or your alt gets hot, sound like your wires are crossed and jumping the starter solenoid burned up some other thing else like a fusible link?

Quite throwing $ and new parts at it and troubleshoot it first to find out what is connected wrong and that way you are not wasting $. I hate to such a "that guy" but it sounds like that is what you need.

Buy a multimeter, watch a u-tube video on how to use it and start checking wires. You have something wired up incorrectly and I do not even want to guess what else you might of burned up.

Nov 20, 2015 | 03:26 PM

77&79F250

Moderator & parts slinger

Joined: Feb 2007

Posts: 50,271

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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county

Come here for some wiring diagrams. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...then-some.html

Here for more wiring assistance. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ml#post1741086

And #17 below it.

Here https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...roubleshooting

All these too Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - Search Results

Nov 27, 2015 | 01:47 PM

kaden78ford390

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I replaced the wires because they were all burnt together and bare and I decided to replace them. so I have all the wires running throughout it now, but wiring diagrams haven't seemed to have helped me a lot. I have:
1 RED/BLU wire (runs to "I" post on starter relay)
2 BLK/YLW wires (one runs to starter post on the starter relay, other one I do not believe is necessary for starting)
2 BRN wires (one runs to the headlight connector, other to the "S" post on solenoid)
1 GRN/YLW wire (Did not replace this, it went to blower motor, not important right now)
1 GRN/BLK wire (runs to headlight connector)
1 GRN/RED wire (Runs to a connector, then to the vol. regulator)
1 WHT/BLU wire (runs to headlight connector)
1 WHT/YLW wire (Runs to horn, haven't replaced this one)
1 RED/BLK wire (Runs to headlight connector)
1 Light blue?? runs into a WHT/BLK wire about half a foot from firewall (runs to connector, then to vol. regulator)
I have replaced all of these wires, I'd appreciate if you could let me know if it seems like I wired that up right. As for the alternator, I wired in the ORN wire to the FLD post, the BLK/RED to the BAT post, and 2 WHT/BLKs (one from the vol. regulator and one from the connector) to the STA post. But, I still need to hook up a ground for the alt. If theres anything that seems wrong with what I did, please let me know.