I bought a '67 F250 about 10 days ago to replace my tired old '68 Chev C10. So far the transition has been gradual as I find new problems to overcome with the F250. I got the choke figured out with your help. Thanks! Currently, I'm chasing down a frustrating electrical problem. It started out with the truck refusing to crank shortly after shutting it off. It had been run for quite awhile and was very warm. I started to suspect a weak starter. However, when I jumped the battery, it started right up. I took the battery out and charged it with a 10 amp charger for several hours. Then I took it to the local parts store to be load tested. They pronounced it "good". The battery doesn't look very old.....no corrosion or dirt on it. Even the little red and green terminal donuts look new. I bought new cables while I was at the store (pos to relay, relay to starter, neg to ground) and a set of belts. My son drove the truck to school for a week and I took it too work on Thursday because we were planting sod at our new office. I made several trips to the sod farm hauling the new grass. About halfway thru the day it quit starting. I had to jump start it everytime I shut it off. Then the turn signals stopped working. Then late at night when I finally got to start for home, the headlights started to get really dim. At every stoplight the engine would die as soon as I hit the brake, then would have to be jump started. Finally made it home and had decided the alternator needed to be tested. So I stayed up until midnight removing it (another story in itself). I took the alternator to the parts store to be bench tested. The big red "SHORT" light lit up on the tester console, so I bought a new starter, put a couple hours charge on the battery with the 10 amp charger again and went on my merry way. Drove the truck to work again on Friday (28 miles each way). Loaded all the leftover dirt from the sod project into the bed and drove home that evening without incident. Then today (Saturday) I drover over to my folks house (couple of miles) and emptied the dirt into their yard. Drove home and commenced to drain the radiator and put fresh antifreeze in. Drove around doing a couple of other miscellaneous errands. Then this evening let my son take it to tomcat around with his buddies. He came back 20 minutes later and said the turn signals weren't working (uh oh). So he took the old tired C10. I just went out and sure enough, dead battery. Had to jump start it to get it parked out of the way. Where do I turn next? I'm pretty dense when it comes to electrical problems. Any remedial suggestions however apparent and obvious to you would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

I would sure love to say try replacing the voltage regulator, but I cannot be sure that your truck has one. I would only assume so since I think that is an essential part to the charging system. Check to make sure all of your wires to your alternator are intact. I had one fry on me once and another time one just came disconnected. Maybe you should try having them test the alternator again. Even new ones can go bad sometimes.

People who say it can't be done should not interrupt the person doing it.

 

Three things to do:
1. replace the battery. Every time I've had a battery go dead a few times it never goes back to full. that truck needs a large battery with at least 600+ CCA. I always get 800+ CCA (cold cranking amps) Otherwise, you might try a slow 'trickle' charger in the 2 amp range and let it charge overnight.

2. replace the regulator. It should be on the pass side of the rad and is a 2~3" square box with a ground and wires plugged into it. Confirm that it is properly ground when installing the new one.

3. get a digital volt meter. I got mine for $10 and it's very helpful. with the volt meter, check the ground to the starter and confirm you have the same voltage from the battery to the starter positive. Usually about 12~13 volts at the pos side of the starter. You can disconnect the starter's pos and have someone turn the key, then check the voltage.

Also, some starter get heat soaked. Placing a heat shield, starter wrap or simple sheet of steel around the starter can help to keep exhaust heat from it. This is usually a big problem on the 360/390 engines with exhaust that runs close to the starter.

I've heard the low voltage to the turn signal makes it stop blinking because it doesn't make enough heat for the bi-metal strip.

 

Did you get this figured out?

I have a similar issue. I bought a 1968 F250 Custom Cab recently and it drives fine during the day, but when I turn on the lights at night, the battery drains. I had the battery tested and it's still good. Last week, I ended up driving the truck at night, and while driving all of the lights started to flicker on and off. I noticed there was a clicking sound that happened at the same time. Any ideas?

 

You have a short in the lighting circuit, the clicking is the circuit breaker built into the light switch. I would check the harness anywhere it passes though an opening in the body, especially up front around the running lights, and all along the frame, and take a good hard look at any trailer plug that may be wired in. If that all checks out, replace the headlight switch and floor dimmer.

 

The 67 250 should indeed have an external voltage regulator. With the truck running check the voltage across the battery. It should be about 13.6 volts DC or alittle higher. If it reading lower have the voltage regulator checked or just replace it, they are not that expensive. Make sure you have a good ground for the regulator. If it is plugged in but not grounded properly it probably will not charge the battery. If the battery, alternator and regulator all check good, make sure all the wiring associated with the charging circuit is correct. The motors and Chiltons manuals from the 60's and 70's have a lot of good information on the charging circuits. I have a 67 F250 that is pretty much original so if you can't get it figured out PM me and i will tell you how to get in touch with me to walk you thru a checkout

 

Thanks for the advice guys! I'll let you know the outcome.

 

OK so whats the outcome.
What I don't understand is, you took the alternator to be checked and it said short, so you bought a starter, Whats with that?
Squido

 

You need to check the ground wire from the battery to the engine block. If that is a good connection then check the ground wire from the firewall to the engine ( usally to the driver side valve cover) this one gets left off quite often when the vale covers are removed. The engine is mounted on rubber mounts so you loss ground to the cab.