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87 e-150 elec. prob

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Old Jan 4, 2006 | 08:27 PM
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87 e-150 elec. prob

I am new to this so please be patient...I have an 87 e-150 L6 4.9 automatic.
Cold morning today, Started van and warmed it up for approx 10 min...went to turn on headlights and go to work, stall....Now, Both dirrectional dash lamps are glowing as well as the high beam indicator lamp,(high Beams are not on). Van will not start if ANY elec. access. are on, lights, heat, even dome light. If I turn all off, van starts but stalls almost immediately. Battery Voltage is fine. I have heard of Ground problems with these vans Could that cause this or could it be a fusable link or something. I need a point in the right direction hear if possible...thanks
 
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Old Jan 4, 2006 | 08:31 PM
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Welcome to FTE!

This one has me stumped. Don't know why the dash lights would come on, that doesn't seem to compute. Have to see what others will say.

Hope the problem is not what brought you here.

Matt
 
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Old Jan 4, 2006 | 08:53 PM
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Sounds like you have lost the Body ground. Try running a large wire (12 Gauge) from the NEG (-) terminal of the battery to a good clean place on the body (not the engine).
Let us know what happens.
 
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Old Jan 5, 2006 | 04:35 PM
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It definitely sounds like a ground problem.
 
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Old Jan 5, 2006 | 08:30 PM
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Well i tried the body ground, and no luck there. I am thinking somehow theres a short somewhere that did not blow a fuse...There is no visual evidence of burnt or melted wiring so I am gonna test circuts at fuse box to see what is live when its not supposed to be...Any other ideas? throw em at me ...thanks
 
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Old Jan 6, 2006 | 04:54 PM
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I am thinking somehow theres a short somewhere that did not blow a fuse...
That's not very likely to happen. If it's not a bad ground, then it could possibly be a bad connection at the starter relay, or a corroded splice next to the starter relay.

Look at the large stud on the starter relay(solenoid) where the battery + hooks. There should be a smaller wire(s) hooked there also. The smaller wire(s) feed power to the whole van. If that connection is loose or melted, it could create enough resistance to let some small loads work, but as the load gets greater, the voltage drops more and more till it will not run.

The wire that is hooked to the starter relay + usually runs a short distance to a splice inside the wiring harness where it splits up and feeds the fuse box and the ignition switch, and also some other stuff. Sometimes this splice can go bad too.
 
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Old Jan 9, 2006 | 01:14 PM
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OK, the solenoid post connections and splices are ok...I DO have it narrowed down to the heater/AC circut. When I remove the Fuse from the heater/AC circut at the fuse box all else runs fine and stays running with all other elec. acc. ON...Am gonna investigate the heater circut more now....
 
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Old Jan 9, 2006 | 03:56 PM
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Disconnect the blower motor and see what happens.
 
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Old Jan 10, 2006 | 03:15 PM
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Today went out to check on blower motor, curiosity got me so i put the fuse back in place and just wanted to see if the motor was turning...Every thing works fine (for now?) this makes me wonder...all ok now or waiting to happen again...nothing was obstucting the blower fan physically, if a wire was loose or something i couldn't tell.I also want to note that the temp outside here in upstate NY is 40degrees today also...when this all was going on it had been below freezing, if that is a factor in any thing...i dont know...So I am thinking that something was loose somewhere in that circut or on the blower motor ground...gonna keep checking regardless...
 

Last edited by MrED812; Jan 10, 2006 at 03:18 PM.
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