Ground Problem 82 F150
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 164
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From: Western, MD
Ground Problem 82 F150
I think I have mentioned this problem before. It used to be intermittent now it is consistant. When it gets dark I can't drive the truck, there are no headlights, tailights and no power basically in the cab (no radio etc..) Is this a common problem with the older trucks? Is there a good place to tie the cab of the truck to the frame for a ground cable, will this fix it?
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,137
Likes: 2
From: Asheville, NC
Check the cab ground at the back of the engine beside where the throttle cable comes through the firewall to the carb. It's hooked to the engine. Also, be sure your negative cable is connected to a secure bolt on the engine block.
My '83 came to me with a cab ground connected to a valve cover bolt, and the negative cable tucked under one of the A/C compressor bolts. It didnt work well, obviously.
My '83 came to me with a cab ground connected to a valve cover bolt, and the negative cable tucked under one of the A/C compressor bolts. It didnt work well, obviously.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6,610
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From: Northwest, Arkansas
Are you saying that the radio and other stuff work in the daytime? Is it when you pull the light switch on? Tell us a little more.
Holmesuser01 is correct on checking your cab ground and the main battery ground though.
Holmesuser01 is correct on checking your cab ground and the main battery ground though.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 164
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From: Western, MD
Maybe what I said was a little misleading. Nothing works in the cab day or night, but for obvious reasons it is more noticeable during the evening hours (headlights, tailights etc...). I do plan to check the cab ground and the main battery ground.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6,610
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From: Northwest, Arkansas
Thats what I was trying to figure out, if it did it all the time or was like when you turned the light switch on it cut everything out. It sounds more then a ground problem possibly, but that will be a good place to start.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 164
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From: Western, MD
Well here is a new turn of events. I verified the that my ground is good and it appears there is something wrong with maybe the headlight switch or radio or something. Is there a wiring diagram for the 82 F150 that I can get. Has anybody seen anything like this?
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,137
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From: Asheville, NC
The headlight circuits have nothing to do with the radio, other than the instrument lights. Have you checked the fusible links at your solenoid? Whats the problem?
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 164
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From: Western, MD
I thought of the fusable links, but I do not think that could be the problem. Once the fusable link is blown it is blown correct? The radio was working yesterday for a short time until I tried the headlights. I'm thinking now that the switch for the headlights is the problem or atleast in that area. I understand that the lights and and radio are not on the same line, but they do have one thing in common and that is a ground path correct. Just keep lending your ideas and hopefully I can find the problem.
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Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 164
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From: Western, MD
When you say the floor mounted dimmer switch are you talking about the high/low beam switch? Yesterday when I turned the radio on and it was working fine until I turned the lights on and immediately both were off and would not turn back on. I never did check the fuses after that.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 984
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From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Originally Posted by Caldwell F150
When you say the floor mounted dimmer switch are you talking about the high/low beam switch? Yesterday when I turned the radio on and it was working fine until I turned the lights on and immediately both were off and would not turn back on. I never did check the fuses after that.
I've seen these switches do everything from short out inside to basically grenade their guts all over the cab.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 28,609
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From: Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Because you have unrelated circuits affected, your problem obviously has to be something related to multiple circuits. So if your grounds are all good, it must be a fuseable link.
You can check your grounds just by adding clip wires or jumper cables from the battery neg., and the engine block and the firewall. If the problem is still there you can use a clip wire again to jump from battery pos. across the fuse link(s.) Use a sharp probe of some sort to pierce the insulation downstream from the battery to attach your clip wire to.
If these substitutions don't take the symptoms away, the next step would be to disconnect the battery and drop the fuse box. Check for clean secure connections where the hot wires attach to the box.
You can check your grounds just by adding clip wires or jumper cables from the battery neg., and the engine block and the firewall. If the problem is still there you can use a clip wire again to jump from battery pos. across the fuse link(s.) Use a sharp probe of some sort to pierce the insulation downstream from the battery to attach your clip wire to.
If these substitutions don't take the symptoms away, the next step would be to disconnect the battery and drop the fuse box. Check for clean secure connections where the hot wires attach to the box.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 164
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From: Western, MD
Bdox was correct, the problem was near a fusable link. The insulation was cracked and the wire was down too a couple strands, I assume that is why it could handle the radio, but as soon as the lights were turned on it all went out. Anyways spliced a new wire in and so far everything is working.
