I'm trying to solve some wiring problems on my 1983 F-150. The PO had modified the wiring and tore apart the ignition.
I have replaced the distributor, coil, and installed a new Painless Duraspark II harness. I must have wired something wrong, because it doesn't crank with the key. I can only get it running by hot wiring the ignition, and using a remote starter button.
So in my attempt to troubleshoot, I've pulled the steering wheel and dropped the steering column. I tested the ignition switch as suggested by helping the rod with a pair of pliers. No help. So, I changed the ignition switch. I am going to trace the wiring from the switch to the solenoid, as that was modified by the PO.
I have the schematics for a 1985 F series I downloaded from a Ford forum. The were very small so I took the pdf files to Office Depot and had them printed in a larger format.
I stopped there for the day, as I need to ask some questions.
1. Does anyone know where the start and run wires go through the firewall?
2. There is a connector near the battery that is unplugged and no obvious place to plug it, see pic below. Connector has 4 wires.green w/black dash, brown w/white dash, black with blue dash.Any ideas?
3. Lastly, there is a relay near the battery also. See pic below .4 wires: red w/blue stripe, red w/ yellow dash, black w/ red stripe, and black w/ green dash. Anyone know what it's for?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Chuck

 

So we have a 83 F150 what motor & trans dose the truck have?
Also if you go to this site at the top in Documents you may find wiring for your year that you can see.
https://www.garysgaragemahal.com/
Dave ----

Oh I dont see any pictures so can you take then of the wires and plugs you posted about

 

here's the answer to #1
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post17764756
See the photo, where the resistor wire and the start wire connect together. The single fat wire feeds the coil positive.. you should have 2 in 1 out of the big black splice.
jim

 

My truck has the 351W, 4 speed manual, and 4wd. I added the pics to the original post.

 

I do have the 1983 Ford Light Truck Manual on CD by Dave Graham. I will look for that splice. I did find a series of 4 crimp on splices and an inline fuse in a wire that went from the firewall on the drivers side to the battery side of the starter relay. I cut that mess out and will re-wire it with proper splices. I think it was part of the trailer brake controller wiring. I have removed the trailer controller, as I won't be pulling anything that would need it.

 

If the truck was setup to pull a trailer you would have a wire from the battery + and maybe - side to the controller and the + wire should have a breaker, not a fuse, to protect the wire from shorting out.
You may also have a 2nd wire from battery + side into the trailer light connection. This would be to charge a battery on the trailer for a break-away switch or if a camper to charge the battery in the camper.
I use a 10 ga. wire for charging. I also use a 10 ga wire from the brake controller to the light connection for the brakes.

I would start at the brake controller and follow each wire.
If you are not going to replace the controller then I would remove the wires more so to the battery and maybe leave the ones going to the rear.
Under hood wires look out of place and if to the battery can short out.
Any to the rear should not have power once the controller is removed and why I would leave them.
Dave ----

 

I just ordered another Ford manual CD: https://www.ebay.com/itm/22526408987...Bk9SR9TD86HUYQ
Maybe this one will be clearer.

 

I did remove the trailer brake controller and associated wiring. The 4 splice abomination I cut out was part of the controller power wiring.

 

No one knows what the relay and the disconnected 4 pin connector is?
Here's a couple more. They are near the ignition module on the driver's side. The leads from one are taped in with the oil pressure sensor. One is 2 pin male, the other is 3 pin female. I find no mating connectors.

 

I am trying to add up some clues to what engine setup you had. I see a bunch of solenoids on the valve cover in the picture above. I see the relay and the other mysterious empty plugs around and in the engine. And then I see you mention a painless duraspark harness.

From all the above, I am going to assume you may have had a computer controlled 5.8, they did exist. Sounds like the computer control has been abandoned (best thing that could happen), so you will have a lot of extra wiring a devices that have no purpose anymore.

To verify I am on the right track, look under the dash over top the transmission hump area, and see if you can find a computer box under there with a lot of wires going through a hole in the firewall. If you find the computer, then this truck did have computer control at one time. If the ignition has been converted to a regular distributor and duraspark II module, and the electronic carb has been swapped out, I would go ahead and pull the computer out. Then take the large plug that went to it with all those wires, and push it through the firewall after you take the grommet out of the firewall. Then anything connected to this large wiring bundle can leave. You will be amazed how much it cleans up the engine compartment when all that is gone.

 

I have a 351W, 4 speed, and 4wd. I did not think to look for the computer...
Yes, it did have the Duraspark III system. I bought a reman DSII dizzy, DSII coil and the painless DSII harness. After installing the dizzy, coil and harness, the engine would not start by the key.
I could hot wire the solenoid, and use a remote starter button to start the engine with the key on.The key no start led me to change the ignition switch.
The new ignition switch did not fix the no key crank problem.
Right now I'm trying to get the ignition switch adjusted, but find nothing on it in either the Graham Ford manual, or Haynes manual for the 1983.
I think I miss wired the Painless harness, because I tried to use the internal resistance wire instead of the Painless external resistor.
So, at this point I'll go look for the computer and remove it if it's there.and trace the red w/ blue stripe start wire back to the ignition switch.
Anyone have a good reference for aligning the ignition switch on a non tilt wheel system?
Thanks for your patience, Dave.
Chuck

 

No computer under the dash above trans hump. Just a plastic heater duct. I didn't stand on my head to look, though.

 

For the switch there is a hole you put a pin thru.
Cant remember the size but if you have the old switch you can try drill bits it needs to go all the way thru.
With out reading the manual think you put the key in off and drop the switch on the rod tighten screws, pull the pin ans test.
IIRC I had to adjust mine a little after I put it on. It would turn off the motor but not the dash lights.
Dave ----

 

Is this 'pin' the wire on the new switch that is across the contact area and would prevent connector mating with switch? If so, I'm pooched. I removed that pin and have been playing with the switch...

 

Dave, I found your comments on Gary's post about the switch. The pictures helped me find the allignment pin hole on the old switch.