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So I went to start my truck after work and when I turned the key nothing happened. So I did the little trick with the wire on the solenoid and got it running. On my way home, it suddenly died. I was doing 65 MPH on the highway and boom, it died. No sputtering, no sign of problems, just suddenly died. Lost all power to the headlights, wipers, dome light, everything.
I got it towed home and now I’m in the process of troubleshooting. I replaced the ignition switch at the base of the steering wheel, and still nothing. I have 13.3 volts at the battery, and I checked the fusible links the leave the hot side of the solenoid. Checked my ground wires and now I’m lost.
I turn the key and nothing happens at all. No clicking or anything. And when I try and hot start it at the solenoid with a piece of wire it try’s to turn over but I don’t get any spark so I can’t get it started. No power to any place in the fuse box, and nothing works anywhere. Not lights, wipers, gauges, nothing.
I have a wiring diagram from the chiltons manual and I’m trying to figure out what I should start checking on first, but this is pretty damn discouraging. Anybody have any recommendations on where to start? Thanks in advance guys!
You did not say what year truck you have, but they are all somewhat the same with minor differences. Here's the diagram for a 1986.
You said you have no lights at all, not even headlights? If that is the case, we know where to start.
Look at the top right part of the diagram above. You will see a yellow wire and a black/orange wire. The yellow feeds the ignition switch and the fuse box, the black orange feeds the headlights. So we know your problem is upstream from that.
So follow those wires to the left and you will run into two fusible links. Fusible link M and L. See if you have power there. In the picture below you can see the location of fusible link L and M
You can also continue following the power to the left, from the fusbile links it goes to a yellow wire and then connector c610. You can see the location of c610 in the smaller picture above right in the previous post.
If you keep going to the left, you hit splices s202 and s203. These splices need to be checked also, they sometimes corrode. They are supposed to be located near fusible link J, which is in one of the pictures above also, and is the main fusible link in the diagram above.
If you keep going to the left, you hit splices s202 and s203. These splices need to be checked also, they sometimes corrode. They are supposed to be located near fusible link J, which is in one of the pictures above also, and is the main fusible link in the diagram above.
So I checked both of those fusable links and although one of the wires farther down from the link was fried, I replaced this and still have nothing at all. The post that all that’s connected too, that’s some sort of a hot post or something? I’m assuming power is brought to this from the larger of the wires in this picture? Thanks for all the help!!! If this is suppose to be a power post, then the fact that it has no power should narrow it down right? Maybe to where the black and yellow striped wire start? Man this wiring stuff is tough.
Before digging too deeply elsewhere, do either of your battery terminals look like this style?:
If so, before doing anything else, please remove the entire cable assembly and take it to you local parts store. Match it up with a premade cable. Install that instead.
Take the old cable, complete with that bolt-on “emergency” terminal, grab a shovel, and proceed into your back yard. Start digging. Do not stop digging until you detect a hot sulfur odor. This means you have dug deep enough to open a portal to hell. Mindful of your footing, drop that battery terminal into the opening where it belongs. Scamper out of the hole and fill it back in.
I just went through a similar problem a few weeks ago. Replaced all the fusible links, got down line and out d the factory splices corroded and junked. Rewired that end. If you need 16g fusible link I have too many to count. No you have no ammeter readout open up that splice (s202/s204).
I use an ohm meter but I’m sure there is a better way.
Yeah, there is. An ohmmeter can give misleading results in a situation like this. A multi-strand wire can have all but one strand broken, and this would still show as good continuity with an ohmmeter. Same misleading results if you were testing voltage with a voltmeter. In both cases, that single strand lets enough current through to satisfy the meter (Oh, I've got good voltage, the problem must be somewhere else...) but won't pass enough current for the circuit to operate under a normal load.
I'd recommend the use of a test light like this:
The internal bulb puts a slight load on the circuit. This helps isolate marginal connections that an ohmmeter or voltmeter won't catch.
Please clarify something. If I understood you correctly, you said the entire truck was dead electrically, but you were able to connect a jumper to the starter relay (on the fender, aft of the battery) and make the starter spin. How EXACTLY where you connecting this jumper? Did you use a small wire from the battery (+) post to the small S terminal on the starter relay? I'm wondering if one of your battery cables is bad, typically right at the crimp for the terminal at the battery post. The symptoms would fit, except for getting the starter to operate.
And when you did get the starter to spin, was the cranking speed normal?
Electrical needs to be done a methodical method properly diagnose issues.
Steps
Make sure you have voltage at the battery. Test between positive and negative terminals.
Pull on the headlights and make sure they come on. If not you have power delivery issue
Then test for voltage between the battery clamps.
Then test for voltage to ground. Between the positive clamp and a good ground on the body. (if you have a ground on the body you will have a ground on the chassis)
The check for power on the input side of the starter relay Negative clamp to relay input stud.
if those checkout time to start probing the wires on the relay input stud. Negative clamp to each wire after the Fusible link.
Yeah, there is. An ohmmeter can give misleading results in a situation like this. A multi-strand wire can have all but one strand broken, and this would still show as good continuity with an ohmmeter. Same misleading results if you were testing voltage with a voltmeter. In both cases, that single strand lets enough current through to satisfy the meter (Oh, I've got good voltage, the problem must be somewhere else...) but won't pass enough current for the circuit to operate under a normal load.
I'd recommend the use of a test light like this:
The internal bulb puts a slight load on the circuit. This helps isolate marginal connections that an ohmmeter or voltmeter won't catch.
Please clarify something. If I understood you correctly, you said the entire truck was dead electrically, but you were able to connect a jumper to the starter relay (on the fender, aft of the battery) and make the starter spin. How EXACTLY where you connecting this jumper? Did you use a small wire from the battery (+) post to the small S terminal on the starter relay? I'm wondering if one of your battery cables is bad, typically right at the crimp for the terminal at the battery post. The symptoms would fit, except for getting the starter to operate.
And when you did get the starter to spin, was the cranking speed normal?
That is my go to tool for checking electrical issues. You can go thru the insulation with the pin end and not hurt it.
I do use a meter to make sure the volts are up to spec.
Dave ----
That is my go to tool for checking electrical issues. You can go thru the insulation with the pin end and not hurt it.
I do use a meter to make sure the volts are up to spec.
Some "smart" test lights available these days have a built-in voltage display. The catch is that these test lights are designed to be computer-safe, meaning they only flow a teensy amount of current.
When I break out my ancient test light, it's only for non-computerized vehicles. I want that extra current flow to help make faults easier to find. I do wish I could find a test light that draws a fair amount of current AND has a digital display, but it seems to be an either/or situation. So I end up doing what you do, going back with a voltmeter to double check.
Yeah, there is. An ohmmeter can give misleading results in a situation like this. A multi-strand wire can have all but one strand broken, and this would still show as good continuity with an ohmmeter. Same misleading results if you were testing voltage with a voltmeter. In both cases, that single strand lets enough current through to satisfy the meter (Oh, I've got good voltage, the problem must be somewhere else...) but won't pass enough current for the circuit to operate under a normal load.
I'd recommend the use of a test light like this:
The internal bulb puts a slight load on the circuit. This helps isolate marginal connections that an ohmmeter or voltmeter won't catch.
Please clarify something. If I understood you correctly, you said the entire truck was dead electrically, but you were able to connect a jumper to the starter relay (on the fender, aft of the battery) and make the starter spin. How EXACTLY where you connecting this jumper? Did you use a small wire from the battery (+) post to the small S terminal on the starter relay? I'm wondering if one of your battery cables is bad, typically right at the crimp for the terminal at the battery post. The symptoms would fit, except for getting the starter to operate.
And when you did get the starter to spin, was the cranking speed normal?
Yes that’s how I did. And no the starter spun at normal speed and strength. I took a plug out and had a friend hold it while I did it and i am not getting any spark at all.
Yes that’s how I did. And no the starter spun at normal speed and strength. I took a plug out and had a friend hold it while I did it and i am not getting any spark at all.
Take short piece of wire and hook one end to the power block in the above picture, and touch the other end to the battery +. What happens then?
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