Battery mistake
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New User
Joined: Oct 2003
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Battery mistake
My 85 F-150 truck wouldn't start one morning. I knew I needed to change the battery. When I connected the new battery I switched the negative and positive terminals and now the truck won't start. Since then I have replaced all the fuses and a few other select items but the truck still won't turn over, and none of the electronics work including the head lights. Any ideas?
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,428
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From: peoria, az
If the battery has power in it then I'd suggest looking for fusible links that may be broken. They should be near batt and look slightly different than other wiring. Do you have a meter you can work with or even a test light?
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 7,298
Likes: 45
From: Southern California
JPike9981, thanks for joining us here at FTE! 
Once you have a chance to read this, I'm going to move this topic to the '80-'86 truck forum. It's not a towing specific topic and you may get more replys there.
Once you have a chance to read this, I'm going to move this topic to the '80-'86 truck forum. It's not a towing specific topic and you may get more replys there.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
Likes: 3
From: Atlanta GA
It has been a few years since i worked on a 1985. You should have fusible links in the pass. side harness AND the driver's side harness. You will have to unwrap the harness to find them. NAPA sells fusible links. I suggest you go to a local West Marine and buy the butt terminals that come with the sealer/glue that you melt with a hair dryer/heat gun after you crimp them.
If the fusible links are good (not melted, do not look like they have kinks, and test good) then you might have to replace your relays and headlamp switch. Autozone carries all these items. Start first with the headlamp switch because it feeds a lot of other circuits and is the direct conenction to the battery. The other most likely victim is the EEC relay, usually screwed to the fender near the starter relay.
If your starter relay is fried ($10) then it is possible nothing else will work because everything hangs off it and its battery connection. It might be the cheapest and quickest thing to change.
If the fusible links are good (not melted, do not look like they have kinks, and test good) then you might have to replace your relays and headlamp switch. Autozone carries all these items. Start first with the headlamp switch because it feeds a lot of other circuits and is the direct conenction to the battery. The other most likely victim is the EEC relay, usually screwed to the fender near the starter relay.
If your starter relay is fried ($10) then it is possible nothing else will work because everything hangs off it and its battery connection. It might be the cheapest and quickest thing to change.
