1992 F250, 7.3 speedometer, radio and interior cab light quit working. Last week I seemed to have a drain on batteries while setting overnight. I had batteries checked and drivers side was bad. Replaced and next morning same thing...not enough juice to activate glow plugs or turn over. Put charger on and starts right up. Will keep starting as long as it is warm. Next day started right up but noticed that my radio, interior lights, door bell, and speedometer do not work. Everything else seems OK. All fuses OK. Noticed that a "loom plug" was unhooked right above the footfeed pedal. Plugged in and door bell rang once but nothing else has changed. Any help?

 

check your ground wires from the negative battery cables to the fenders and also the ground lead from the engine to the cab , if all is well there and the fuses are good its possible the ignition switch is bad it can affect the charging , radio and speedometer but not the interior lights

 

Check your fuse box fuse 8..... also the connectors on the rear of the cluster.

 

Thanks for the info...I'll look at these tonight.

 

Fuse #8 blown. Must of had a senior moment when I looked earlier. Grandkids in back while cleaning brush. One must have leaned on top of the cab over the dome light. This depresses the top of the cab and the fuse blows. Has done this since I've owned the truck.

THANKS!

 

Found the radio/speedometer problem. Thanks for all the input. Still having battery drain problem but doesn't seem as severe. Will cycle GP's but won't turn over fast enough to start. After starting once will start all day(tested during cleanup after ice storm. many stops and starts during 2 day period) I have explored all the suggested items listed. Everything looks OK. Will re check since I missed the blown fuse for radio/ speedometer the first time. Any more ideas?

 

Inspect the passenger side battery positive cable terminal.
Look for discolored or cracking insulation like the clamp/wire has been hot.
Another thing to look for is swelling of the insulation close to the clamp.

If you find either, the cable clamp has corrosion inside the terminal and the conductor is not making good contact with the clamp.
If that is the case, the batteries are not gettig a full charge and the starter/glow plugs are not getting full power either.

Another test that may show this is a voltage check with the meter leads on the battery terminal compared to a voltage check with the leads on the conductor or at a remote location.

And the third check would be see if the passenger side battery terminal gets hot while trying to start the engine.
Heat is an indication of resistance, you want no resistance in the battery cable connections.

 

Unhook one battery completly. Unhook the ground on the other. Hook a test light between the ground cable and the battery. If you have a draw the testlight will be on. If it is start by pulling all the fuses one at a time, take the wiring harness loose form the engine. Keep unplugging things till the testlight goes out.