MAJOR Electrical Problem
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 126
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From: Noble, LA
MAJOR Electrical Problem
Have 88 Bronco II 2.9 w/ 5 speed /auto 4wd. Bought 1 week ago. It had new battery but battery light flickered intermittently. 2 days ago Battery was dead. I replaced Alternator and Starter Solenoid(Relay). Also, disconnected ALL connections from Starter, Alternator, and Battery including the Grounds; I cleaned them and mating surfaces and retightened them. Anyways, drove it to town and back (30 minutes) and by the time I got back it was acting like it was gonna quit. Parked it in the drive and shut it off. Would'nt crank. Solenoid just clicked. Battery Voltage showing 11.5 volts. Charged it up on slow charge. Cranked up fine. Went to town again....SAME THING. Took Battery Cable off and ran light tester from Cable to good ground. No draw. Then took cover off Steering column. Ignition Switch Box was intact. But there was a Brown wire running from the Tumbler START contact that was disconnected. I connected it back. Also replaced all the fuses and cbs. Then, took Ignition Module off of Distributor and ran check on it...O.K. Checked Coil and connector...O.K. Do any of you Guys have ANY ideas what might be wrong with this thing. I LOVE everything about this little Bronco but it's been parked in my yard more than it's been on the road and I sure would like to change that!
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,283
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From: Racine county, WI
Originally Posted by fenix1
Have 88 Bronco II 2.9 w/ 5 speed /auto 4wd. Bought 1 week ago. It had new battery but battery light flickered intermittently. 2 days ago Battery was dead. I replaced Alternator and Starter Solenoid(Relay). Also, disconnected ALL connections from Starter, Alternator, and Battery including the Grounds; I cleaned them and mating surfaces and retightened them. Anyways, drove it to town and back (30 minutes) and by the time I got back it was acting like it was gonna quit. Parked it in the drive and shut it off. Would'nt crank. Solenoid just clicked. Battery Voltage showing 11.5 volts. Charged it up on slow charge. Cranked up fine. Went to town again....SAME THING. Took Battery Cable off and ran light tester from Cable to good ground. No draw. Then took cover off Steering column. Ignition Switch Box was intact. But there was a Brown wire running from the Tumbler START contact that was disconnected. I connected it back. Also replaced all the fuses and cbs. Then, took Ignition Module off of Distributor and ran check on it...O.K. Checked Coil and connector...O.K. Do any of you Guys have ANY ideas what might be wrong with this thing. I LOVE everything about this little Bronco but it's been parked in my yard more than it's been on the road and I sure would like to change that!
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,915
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From: Yokosuka, Honshu, Japan
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBr...3d800f9461.jsp
Scroll down to the links for 1988 Ranger/Bronco II, click on #2. You'll want to check all the fusible links that connect to the starter solenoid, battery, and alternator as well as your ignition switch and wiring. What it sounds like is that something isn't making a good enough connection for the alternator to charge the battery -- and you may have already fried the replacement. If the wire you re-connected is the one I am thinking it is, you may have already found the problem
Scroll down to the links for 1988 Ranger/Bronco II, click on #2. You'll want to check all the fusible links that connect to the starter solenoid, battery, and alternator as well as your ignition switch and wiring. What it sounds like is that something isn't making a good enough connection for the alternator to charge the battery -- and you may have already fried the replacement. If the wire you re-connected is the one I am thinking it is, you may have already found the problem
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Joined: May 2006
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where did the replaced alternator come from. if it came from autozone that could be the problem. i had the same problem on my 86 bII and was out of town when it died. autozone was the only place open and i bought what they looked up on their computer and put it on in the parking lot. i never got back home b4 it did it again. i replaced the alternator 5 more times b4 i figured out the problem. Our bronco 2's can call for two amp sizes and if yours calls for the higher amped alt. and u install a lower/cheaper amp alt. it will cook the diodes in no time. after i put a higher output alternator on it fixed the prob. been fixed for 2 yrs now. thank god cause i was getting to bea pro at puting on alternators lol.
