Ok, 79 w/ a 400. The horn works, but the lights and radio don't.
Turn the key, and it doesn't attempt to tun over(a tick sound).

I had a problem with the NSS a while ago, but it is good now.
Battery is brand new
The ignition module(brain box) is fairly new(less than 200 miles on it)
Starter is new(less than 50 miles)
I didn't touch any wiring lately.

I've tried a few things, but I'm out of ideas.


I'm thinking it could be wiring and something to do with the coil or solenoid?

If you guys could through around some ideas, that'd be great.

 

Try hitting the starter solenoid mounted on the fender. Somethimes hitting them will make them sork, but you can also try jumping the solenoid to see if it cranks.

 

furthering on boggerted's post its best to jump the solenoid with a flat screwdriver, if it cranks up(mind you have the ignition switch to on ) then your solenoid is bad

 

If no lights or radio are coming on, check for loose or corroded battery connections, and verify a good engine and chassis ground to battery. Check the cable connections on the starter solenoid, this stud can loosen or corrode.

 

The battery connection is good(no acid/corrosion), and the chassis ground is good.

The connections on the solenoid are good too. I have had the similar problems when the screws on the solenoid were loose, but they're tight......
Could the ignition switch have anything to do with this?



How does the screw driver thing work?

Keep the ideas coming, thanks for the comments so far guys.

 

I would check the battery and cables. Don't go by looks, you can not tell that way. remove the leads and check for oxidation. If it's not the cable connections it's the battery, dead. Charge up then see if every thing works if so, have your charging system checked. A new battery is not fully charged, and you can get a bad one. Take nothing for granted. When ever you get your lights to work the starter probably will too.

The screw driver trick by passes the ignition switch. By shorting the battery lug to the small post right next to it.

 

If you have no lights at all I tend to lean toward a non charged bat. or a restriction in the wires from the battery,they do at times get a large growth of the green crud. If you have a meter check the resistance,or look for a large bulge in the wire,at any rate I think you just simply are not getting flow. JNT

 

Agreed, if the lights and radio are not working you have a bad connection somewhere or the battery is weak. Jumping the solenoid will not start the truck with a weak battery. If your radio and lights were working then I would lean towards a bad solenoid. You are not getting power to your main harness.

 

IMO one should always use a remote starter switch or jumper wire instead of a screwdriver or pliers.

The arcing can cause a starter relay to go bad.

Always have the battery fully charged with battery charger before trying to diagnose electrical problems.

Battery Cables themselves can corrode underneath the insulation causing continuity problems


If the starter won't crank using the method pictured below.

Try a booster cable from the battery post to the starter lug directly

 

When my solenoid went out I didn't have power to anything... this last round of fun was due to a bad cable end at the starter.

I've got a blown out rear main seal to fix now... I can assure you I'm getting sick of fixing this thing...


I have seriously lengthed the time between repairs on the truck by driving the Jeep more...

 

Ok....

There is no corrision on the lead clamps or post, but there is a very good possiblity there is some under the insulation on the wires(thinking the possitive one). There is a small open section of cable w/out insulation, but I cleaned up up and sprayed battery cleaner and protector on it, but that doesn't mean it isn't corroded further down in the insulation.

The battery in there was old, so I charged it and tried.... nothing.
I figured it had a dead cell.
I bought a new battery for another vehical(plenty big enough to crank it)about a month ago, charged it(didn't need it, but did anyway), and put it in..... still nothing.

I'll try to use the solenoid off my 77 to see if that's the problem after I try jumping it(thanks for the picture).

Thanks for the help guys.

 

I put the old battery back in after a charge, and messing with a few things.

I was getting frustraited, and I remember someone saying possibly giving the solenoid a wack...... well, I wacked a few things, and clean up what looked like a ok cable(possitive battery cable) just a little bit with a wire brush, and it started like there was never even a problem.

I tried several things several different times to try and figure this thing out, and I still don't know what the exact reason is that it is doing this. I will replace the battery cable and if the problem doesn't rise again, I guess that's the only problem.



Any way, thanks a lot for the help and suggestions.

This isn't the first time it's done it to me, and it seems after it gets hot and I turn it off, it doesn't want to start after that. Could that be the ignition box, solenoid, or starter? The solenoid is the only thing that isn't new....should I just replace it to rule it out(it isn't expensive)?

 

HEAT : Usually the starter is the victim.

Make sure you remove/clean/secure the battery GROUND cable to the engine block or
relocate it to a starter bolt to make sure the starter has good ground.

 

dennis is absolutely right, deff. check that ground!

 

Ok, but what will cleaning the negative battery cable ground do?

I believe I'm going to try and get a starter heat wrap to add to the sheild I already have.

I didn't do much of anything yesterday other than hit a few things, and steel wire brush the cable just a little bit, and the truck turned over better than the it ever did(in the past year).

Again, thanks for all the help.

So Mil1ion, your saying take the ground off the block and unbolt one of the starter bolts and bolt it there?