Ground is HOT
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Ground is HOT
Hey all,
With the switch on, it seems like the frame of the truck is hot (seems to have current) With the negative cable hooked to the battery and the switch on, you can unhook the negative cable from the engine and touch it to the frame or body and you get some good sparks. With the ground cable hooked to the engine, an ohm meter will not show 0.00 when connected between the battery and the engine ground. Any help.
With the switch on, it seems like the frame of the truck is hot (seems to have current) With the negative cable hooked to the battery and the switch on, you can unhook the negative cable from the engine and touch it to the frame or body and you get some good sparks. With the ground cable hooked to the engine, an ohm meter will not show 0.00 when connected between the battery and the engine ground. Any help.
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My Bad, 1980 F100 302/4 spd. hope this is what was needed.
Would like to add, that if you jump a wire from the Pos. side of the battery, to the side of the solenoid that runs to the starter, it acts like you are touching a ground, starter does not turn and the jumper wire will "weld" to the cable (that runs to the starter) I have had the truck 4 years never had a problem like this, put a new solenoid on it 3 days ago, truck started great, sat for two days and now it won't start. New solenoid, pos. cable, neg. cable, cable from solenoid to starter, starter is good, and battery is good. Thanks for any help.
Would like to add, that if you jump a wire from the Pos. side of the battery, to the side of the solenoid that runs to the starter, it acts like you are touching a ground, starter does not turn and the jumper wire will "weld" to the cable (that runs to the starter) I have had the truck 4 years never had a problem like this, put a new solenoid on it 3 days ago, truck started great, sat for two days and now it won't start. New solenoid, pos. cable, neg. cable, cable from solenoid to starter, starter is good, and battery is good. Thanks for any help.
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You say you get the jumper from the + battery to the starter side of the solenoid to weld fast. How heavy a piece of wire are you using, rmember you have a 150 amp load on that terminal. What does it do with a jumper cable? Sounds to me like your
starter has a problem.
starter has a problem.
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: St Louis
First off, the vehicle frame is your ground for the entire electrical system. It is supposed to cary all the current back to the battery.
Second, don't connect that jumper wire. It can carry anywhere from 150-200 A. No wonder it's arc welding. Even a typical jumper cable isn't heavy enough for that.
Have you tried jumpering a wire from the small starter relay terminal to the battery positive and see if the starter relay and the starter motor engages? WARNING! Make certain the transmission is in neutral and the e-brake is on.
Steve
Second, don't connect that jumper wire. It can carry anywhere from 150-200 A. No wonder it's arc welding. Even a typical jumper cable isn't heavy enough for that.
Have you tried jumpering a wire from the small starter relay terminal to the battery positive and see if the starter relay and the starter motor engages? WARNING! Make certain the transmission is in neutral and the e-brake is on.
Steve
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From: Virginia
It seems you are getting confused with some issues that do not mean much.
You said the truck will not start. That means it will not turn over correct? Do a little test and report back;
Turn the headlights on with the truck off. They should be bright. While they are on, try to start the truck.
What happens to the brightness of the lights when you try to start the truck?
What if any sounds do you hear when you try to start it?
You said the truck will not start. That means it will not turn over correct? Do a little test and report back;
Turn the headlights on with the truck off. They should be bright. While they are on, try to start the truck.
What happens to the brightness of the lights when you try to start the truck?
What if any sounds do you hear when you try to start it?
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Thanks to everyone for the info, i have to work the next two days, will work on it again this weekend.... will let you know then and again THANKS
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Hey everyone,
I got it fixed.....it was the starter. I tried a starter from a truck that I knew worked and it did the same as the first one, so that stumped, finally had the starter tested and it showed good.....brought it home and didn't work, bought a new one and worked good.....go figure. Thanks for all the help.
I got it fixed.....it was the starter. I tried a starter from a truck that I knew worked and it did the same as the first one, so that stumped, finally had the starter tested and it showed good.....brought it home and didn't work, bought a new one and worked good.....go figure. Thanks for all the help.