87 straight 6 electrical problems
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Junior User
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87 straight 6 electrical problems
My buddy had this truck and I believed he hooked the battery up backwards. He said it ran fine before he put in a new battery and now it has burnt up a wire going from the solenoid into the alt. wiring harness and the truck has no power(no lights in the truck, headlights, NOTHING) Now if i jump the solenoid it will turn over but obviously no spark. I don't know if this wire from the alternator was supposed to be run to the solenoid as it is black with a yellow stripe and I replaced it and it still burns so it may be a ground. Any idea what could have happend to kill complete power to the truck? Sounds like a heck of a wiring project but hey free truck.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: North Branford, CT
just had a similar problem in both of my 89's, turned out that the positive terminal cables from the battery to the solenoid got killed. test the solenoid pegs for voltage and move the positve cable around a bit, if it goes on and off then your positive cable is bad. quick, easy, and cheap fix though. quite the relief after expecting the worst, hope this helps, let me know how you turn out
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thanks I'll give that a try I believe that the terminal is cracked on the battery. It isn't at my house yet so I'll have to give that a try before I trailer it home. Any idea about the black wire with a yellow stripe that runs from the alternator wiring? He had no idea where it came from but it looked like it was hooked to the solenoid and burnt. I would think that shouldn't affect it running though.
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Joined: Jun 2005
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From: North Branford, CT
naa, not too sure about that one, but if youre not getting any lights or signs of electrical itd mean your not getting powerup from the battery at all and the terminal cable is the mainstay for that one, you could also try hotwire jumping the solenoid, see if that gives you any power before goin to buy the cable, but the cables are inexpensive, 5 or 6 bucks(if that) so its your call, whichever youd think is easier
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Comox Valley, Canada
Ok I take a guess......pretty much all I can do without getting "hands on" the truck :-)
Since you jumped the solenoid and the starter turned over the battery, battery positive cable, battery negative cable and main ground are all good.
What may have happened is the fuseible links blew. They are attached where the battery positive cable is attached to the starter relay.......to check you really need a voltmeter....but you can check the feel of the wires that are connected to the starter relay post...they should be 3-5 or maybe even more of them, each truck is different, if they feel really soft or look burnt between the end lug and about 4 inches or so up the wires they are most likely blown.
Once they blow they cut off all the power to the fuse box..which obviously can cause your symptoms.
Also most times when a battery is hooked up backwards, bad things happen, like diodes dying in the alternator, ECM's frying etc etc...depends on how long it was backwards...but most times it does not take long :-(
Since you jumped the solenoid and the starter turned over the battery, battery positive cable, battery negative cable and main ground are all good.
What may have happened is the fuseible links blew. They are attached where the battery positive cable is attached to the starter relay.......to check you really need a voltmeter....but you can check the feel of the wires that are connected to the starter relay post...they should be 3-5 or maybe even more of them, each truck is different, if they feel really soft or look burnt between the end lug and about 4 inches or so up the wires they are most likely blown.
Once they blow they cut off all the power to the fuse box..which obviously can cause your symptoms.
Also most times when a battery is hooked up backwards, bad things happen, like diodes dying in the alternator, ECM's frying etc etc...depends on how long it was backwards...but most times it does not take long :-(
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thanks a lot sparky! Your thoughts are more along what I was thinking. I'll mess with it for awhile as I know a little about electrical, but I am no expert. Otherwise it looks like I'll be using it as a demolition derby truck 
. Any idea if for testing purposes I just cut out the fuseible links and hard wire each one if it might get it running. That is all I really car to do is get it running as it isn't going to be a street truck
. Any idea if for testing purposes I just cut out the fuseible links and hard wire each one if it might get it running. That is all I really car to do is get it running as it isn't going to be a street truck
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Comox Valley, Canada
Yeah, you can do the cut and reattach method.....but be aware there is no fuse protection from the fuse box to the battery that way......so if one of those wires decides to wear thru to ground......or the circuit is drawing too much current there may be a small electrical fire......and I have learned that once the smoke leaks out of a wire it doesnt usually work anymore 
