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Run a ground wire 12ga. from the starter solenoid mounting frame to the engine block. This will eliminate the solenoid from staying engaged if you do any long periods of engine cranking. If you crank for extended time the solenoid contacts heat up and wont release until they cool down.
Good advice on new cables but please run the new ground right to the block, and attach a short cable or strap from there to the frame.
Your starter and alternator are attached to the engine, not the frame.
The starter draws a lot of current and the alternator relies on good connections to sense how much power to put back out keeping the battery charged.
Run a ground wire 12ga. from the starter solenoid mounting frame to the engine block. This will eliminate the solenoid from staying engaged if you do any long periods of engine cranking. If you crank for extended time the solenoid contacts heat up and wont release until they cool down.
I will look into doing this on my next foray into wiring in the engine bay. Next I want to clean up everything and re-check all the wiring.
Originally Posted by ArdWrknTrk
Good advice on new cables but please run the new ground right to the block, and attach a short cable or strap from there to the frame.
Your starter and alternator are attached to the engine, not the frame.
The starter draws a lot of current and the alternator relies on good connections to sense how much power to put back out keeping the battery charged.
I wish I would've seen your reply ArdWrknTrk... I already got it all done and am headed to dinner with the Mrs now.
It looks like that this was the issue. After removing the Ground from the battery/frame/engine block I can see why.
The Album and captions pretty much sum up everything that I did.
I've started it multiple times and drove it around. It's running like it was. However, now I think I need to look at wires and distributor. It doesn't seem to be running quite right. I don't know if running the truck yesterday and today having to rev the engine did something or not. Work work work. It's all worth it to me. Better than a truck payment.
A BIG BIG BIG Thank You to all the people that offered suggestions and helped me troubleshoot this as quickly as it was. Y'all taught me new things to look for and ways to look at things!
This is the reason I lurk and try not to do the "HELP HELP!" topics.
So.. To the work that was done.
Alright.. Time to start work.
Top of the battery after removal
The side.
All cleaned up and charging. Time to get to work.
Ground cable on the frame after bolt taken out.
Cable gone and I wire brushed the frame clean
Wires and mounts connected to the engine block.
This tab was the BIGGEST PAIN to remove!
All contacts cleaned and Ground on the bottom against the block.
Battery installed and all greased and wired up.
Old cables
Close up of the Ground from the frame to the engine block.
But there is one thing that still scares me - that red add-on wire you have at the battery + terminal.. ideally you would connect it on the solenoid-side of that cable rather than at the battery post but that's not such a huge issue...
My real concern is not seeing a fuse on that wire someplace real close to that connection; if for whatever reason that wire gets shorted to ground, that wire itself is going to become the fuse... and it's a heavy enough gauge that it's going to quite a while for it to totally burn up... which means it's going to start a fire... and it's going to burn to the ground pretty quickly.
I finally found the video I was looking for that shows how quickly fire will destroy it, this guy had just finished restoring his truck but obviously something went wrong:
Whoa, starting at 1:53 he comes pretty close to braining that gal with the empty fire extinguisher.
One thing that MAY have worked (he had nothing to lose) is take your pocketknife and cut the upper radiator hose and direct the coolant onto the flames. There's a couple gallons available from the radiator. He should have had an extinguisher with him at all times.
Also every business is required to keep extinguishers on hand afaik. All those morons standing around watching and filming could have at least made themselves useful by grabbing a couple. What a bunch of *******. Still, he ****ed up not carrying an extinguisher in his rig.
Also every business is required to keep extinguishers on hand afaik. All those morons standing around watching and filming could have at least made themselves useful by grabbing a couple.
Long, long time ago, my DD Ford LTD II had an engine fire while in traffic once (rubber hose from stainless fuel line to carburetor disintegrated enough to leak onto the hot engine below) I parked and ran into a Walgreens asking in a panic to borrow a fire extinguisher...
They said no, but showed me what they had that I could purchase.
I grabbed one and ran out of the store without paying for it to go use the thing, I then returned and gave them the $10 the thing cost.
But there is one thing that still scares me - that red add-on wire you have at the battery + terminal.. ideally you would connect it on the solenoid-side of that cable rather than at the battery post but that's not such a huge issue...
My real concern is not seeing a fuse on that wire someplace real close to that connection; if for whatever reason that wire gets shorted to ground, that wire itself is going to become the fuse... and it's a heavy enough gauge that it's going to quite a while for it to totally burn up... which means it's going to start a fire... and it's going to burn to the ground pretty quickly.
I can move the red wire to the solenoid if it'll work. I'm still learning here and I'm not afraid to admit it.
Since the wiring isn't working to the steering column I can take that off. The last thing I need is for a fire to start. I want to keep this truck for awhile. I'm not doing all of this to flip it for a profit.
Making a notes of all of this so I can work on it this weekend maybe. All depends if my daughter has a Rodeo or not...
Long, long time ago, my DD Ford LTD II had an engine fire while in traffic once (rubber hose from stainless fuel line to carburetor disintegrated enough to leak onto the hot engine below) I parked and ran into a Walgreens asking in a panic to borrow a fire extinguisher...
They said no, but showed me what they had that I could purchase.
I grabbed one and ran out of the store without paying for it to go use the thing, I then returned and gave them the $10 the thing cost.
Thanks guys.... Now I want to get one for the engine bay and inside for each vehicle in case that ever happens.
After seeing that video I'm thinking about getting a 2nd one. Pray to God ya never need it.
I think it was Orich here at FTE who talked about how he got tired of putting out strangers vehicle fires out on the highways and they would never reimburse him for the extinguisher afterwards. They aren't cheap. So, he changed tactics.
"Hey if I put that there fire out with this thing, you gonna pay me for a new one or not?"
Being in IT for a living I have to be able to follow directions and not be a "checklist monkey" like some people are.
What area? I'm a Linux server admin.
The factory wiring you're talking about is exceedingly simple, it's all brute-force analog... red/light-blue stripe from the ignition switch on the steering column, to the NSS or clutch switch (clutch switch was installed beginning sometime in the early-mid 80s, I forget exactly when that came about) to the starter relay on the fender. Sure, it's bundled with lots of other wires but a continuity test isn't hard.
The factory wiring you're talking about is exceedingly simple, it's all brute-force analog... red/light-blue stripe from the ignition switch on the steering column, to the NSS or clutch switch (clutch switch was installed beginning sometime in the early-mid 80s, I forget exactly when that came about) to the starter relay on the fender. Sure, it's bundled with lots of other wires but a continuity test isn't hard.
My official title at work is Network Engineer. I deal with everything behind the scenes. Switches, routers, CAT6, fiber, etc., etc., blah blah blah. It's my life style not job cause I love what I do.
I'm also going for my Bachelor's in IT Security. I had to get my Linux + as part of my curriculum. I think Linux is ok but the class only focused on Command Line. Lost interest about 75% in. I don't deal with servers is why. If I ever get time I want to learn more about Kali to assist with testing and security.
Anywho, I'm taking Geekanese now and this is a truck forum. Sorry about that y'all.
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So far so good.....
