Suddenly:no electrical power
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 54
Likes: 1
From: Show Low, Az
Suddenly:no electrical power
hey everyone, this is by far, the weirdest wiring problem ive ever had. i have a 1977 ford f-150 that i dropped a 460 in a while back and after i put it in, and got everything hooked up, it ran just fine for a while. the only thing i had to put on was the alternator. so, just the other day, i put the alternator on but i didnt have the right bracket so i kinda had to rig something up, the only worry i had was how close the wires on the back of the alternator were to the block.
so i started it up and ran it and pulled the cable off of the battery to see if the alternator was working and it was.
i let it run for like 5 or 10 more minutes and i revved it up just a little but and it just completely died. i, then tried to turn the key and nothing happenned, not even a click. i put a good battery in and tried to turn other stuff on like the lights and nothing happenned, so i got a test light and tested to see if the solenoid had power to it, and it does, i got a new one of those and it still did nothing. then i tried to start it by touching the screwdriver on the two terminals on the solenoid and it DID turn over, so now, i figure it is something under the dash. i checked the fuses and they are good, but i dont know how to check if the fuse box has any power going to it. someone PLEASE help!
so i started it up and ran it and pulled the cable off of the battery to see if the alternator was working and it was.
i let it run for like 5 or 10 more minutes and i revved it up just a little but and it just completely died. i, then tried to turn the key and nothing happenned, not even a click. i put a good battery in and tried to turn other stuff on like the lights and nothing happenned, so i got a test light and tested to see if the solenoid had power to it, and it does, i got a new one of those and it still did nothing. then i tried to start it by touching the screwdriver on the two terminals on the solenoid and it DID turn over, so now, i figure it is something under the dash. i checked the fuses and they are good, but i dont know how to check if the fuse box has any power going to it. someone PLEASE help!
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,253
Likes: 2
From: spartanburg, SC
Did you check and clean all of your connections including grounds? Do it now then read on.
Test your testlight first.
To check for power at the fuse block hook the test light to ground and start touching the ends of fuses. At least one will lite the test light if you got power.
Theres a fuseable link that powers everything in the cab. Its that rubber thing on the wire at the solenoid that might be blown if you're not getting power.
i can't spell today.
Test your testlight first.
To check for power at the fuse block hook the test light to ground and start touching the ends of fuses. At least one will lite the test light if you got power.
Theres a fuseable link that powers everything in the cab. Its that rubber thing on the wire at the solenoid that might be blown if you're not getting power.
i can't spell today.
Last edited by F150daniel; Dec 13, 2004 at 09:16 PM.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,544
Likes: 2
From: okc
check the main power wire on the alternator, sometimes they get brittle and break on the inside, mine did on my 460 and it would kill all power, and i could turn it over with a screw driver like you said......turn on your key and use the test light on the back of the alternator, it should have power with the key on..........
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 54
Likes: 1
From: Show Low, Az
hey, thanks for the replies guys. i have one question about the alternator wire though, even if the wire shows no power to it when i have the key on, cant it still be the fuse box though? just wondering cause, NOTHING has power to it. hopefully you guys are right, if theres anymore suggestions, PLEASE send them my way. i appreciate it guys
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,544
Likes: 2
From: okc
never hurts to check....anythings possible with the wiring in these old trucks.....and on that alt. wire, probe it in several places through the insulation, it might help you locate the short in the wire, if thats the problem...
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 495
Likes: 0
From: WA
I had the exact!!!!!! same ploblem with my truck just a few days ago. It turned out that the voltage regulator had fried itself and also fried the fusible link at the solenoid. This explains why you have no power to anything. The only thing that did work was the horn. So I replaced the voltage regulator with a new one by blue streak, it was rated for a 100 amp alternator and was way better than the $12.00 specials. I figure the reason it went out was due to my 100 amp larger than stock alternator. So the first thing I would check is the regulator then I would check the fusible link.
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 54
Likes: 1
From: Show Low, Az
HEY THANK YOU SOOOOOOOO MUCH! ill check it out tomorrow, so if my fusible link is bad, what, are they replacible or do you have to buy the whole wire with the fusible link on it? just wondering. man, if thats it, you have helped out soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much, thanks ALOT, tony
Trending Topics
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 495
Likes: 0
From: WA
The fusible link I bought was just a short section of wire about 6" long they have them at any parts store. I just used a butt splice to splice the two wires together. It was pretty much as simple as that.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 984
Likes: 0
From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Skip the butt splice, and take the extra time to solder and shrink tube the fuse-able link in. You'll end up with a proper connection that's water proof. Splice taps and crimp style connectors are nothing but an "it'll get you home fix" at best. For longevity, take the time to do it right. Done once, right, saves grief further on down the road. I can barely count the number of trucks I've bought or worked on that have had shoddy wiring done to them, and the only way to solve the problem was to replace the way to numerious crimp connectors and splice taps, and then start with a decent connection and see what else was fried. I wish walmart and all other stores would stop selling this crap, and just sell what's proper, and offer instruction on how to do it right...once and for all!
New User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 0
Likes: 24
I find it weird that No One let you know that it is Hazardess to remove any wiring to the charging system with the engine running .
It is an excellent way to damage your alternator.
This practice was used during the time of GENERATORS to spike them with a spark to get them to start generating power.
The fusible lenk is incorporated into the main power line about 18" from where it attachs at the Starter relay.
You have to unwrap the protective covering to replace it.
It is an excellent way to damage your alternator.
This practice was used during the time of GENERATORS to spike them with a spark to get them to start generating power.
The fusible lenk is incorporated into the main power line about 18" from where it attachs at the Starter relay.
You have to unwrap the protective covering to replace it.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 3,740
Likes: 37
From: Central NYS
Originally Posted by '77fordtony
so i started it up and ran it and pulled the cable off of the battery to see if the alternator was working and it was.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,544
Likes: 2
From: okc
i didnt know how bad it was to remove the battery cable while the truck is running, until one time the regulater in my F-250 was bad, when i pulled the positive off the engine revved up and the headlights went a wicked shade of blue and then POP.....no more headlights........if your regulator goes it will still at least partially protect your system from over loading, unless you unhook the battery, which in that case your basicaly bypass it.......
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,544
Likes: 2
From: okc
Originally Posted by SwOkcOffRoader
check the main power wire on the alternator, sometimes they get brittle and break on the inside, mine did on my 460 and it would kill all power, and i could turn it over with a screw driver like you said......turn on your key and use the test light on the back of the alternator, it should have power with the key on..........
looking back this is the wire with the fusible link in it, i cut out the link and just spliced the ends together, that got me around till payday when i could pay for the proper wire with the link in it.......
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,544
Likes: 2
From: okc
u can but there is risk involved, as i said in my post up above........heck ive takin the battery out of my truck while it was running a hundred times or more to put in a dead battery and charge it, it can be done, like i said, but its not without risk......
Last edited by SwOkcOffRoader; Dec 15, 2004 at 02:31 PM.