Hello,
I have an 89 Bronco with a 5.0 which I haven't driven in a few years. I started it up and moved it a last June and decided to get it running again this spring but now it's totally Dead.
The battery has a full charge (courtesy of a trickle charger) I even tried hooking it up to my running truck for a jump with no luck.
I have replaced the fender mounted starter solenoid (one side get's power the other does not) Does this mean my new solenoid is bad ? not sure if I'm checking this correctly.
I have replaced the Ignition Control Switch on the steering column.
New battery cables, both positive and negative. The ground cable is now secured directly to a shiny spot on the frame (which I first cleaned with a wirebrush)

When I say dead I mean even the headlights aren't working no warning chimes, no interior lights ... nothing.

Last few times it ran it was having problems - such as: with a fresh battery it would crank no problem - if it didn't start on the first shot I would try to crank it again and get nothing - the interior lights would just dim but no power to the starter. I would have to disconnect the battery let it charge over night and try it again with the same one try results.

I'm afraid the computer may be the issue but I'm not sure of a way to test this. I really don't want to have it towed to the dealer for diagnostics.
I think I located it on the passenger side fenderwall under the glove box. I see a red led light on the side which is not lit. Should this be lit all the time ?

I would appreciate any simple troubleshooting tips you can provide so I don't waste more time or money on parts that may not be neccessary.

Thanks in advance for your expertise.

 

Check the charge on the Battery, even with a charger and a jump, if the battery is DEAD it will not do anything. If there is a good battery around, try it. If that does not work, look at the conections and cables.

 

I took the battery to Autozone and it checked out good.

My guess is it's wiring or something else - just not sure where to start with figuring it out.

 

Start with the cables going to the soliniol on the fender well and down to the starter. Look into the cables to see if they are corroded. Take a screwdriver and jump from the small wire poll on the front of the Solinoid to the battery side conector and see if the engine turns over. And with a pair of pliers jump from battery side to starter side, do this quickly and let go, sparks will fly. And if you hold it to long, the pliers will weld togather.

 

The neg cable has to go to the engine. A ground strap goes from engine to the body. sometimes there are ones from engine to frame or body to frame. Get the battery checked, could have a crack inside making a dead short or short life type charge. Go over all the charge and start wires.

 

Most of your power is through the fuse blocks. They are fed from the battery. Start with the lights. They have a fuse, check it for continuity, and for 12 volts. If you can, take a voltmeter, connect the black lead to the body, and check for 12 volts on the fuse block. If you do not get it. Run a ground wire directly from the battery, into the cab, connect that to the black lead, and then check again at the fuse block for 12 volts. Seeing how nothing is working, you've lost a ground, or a feed.

If the above does not get you 12 volts, then it's a feed problem.
Most of the time, when the rig is parked, I usually find a couple of signs of rodents in mine. Along the fenderwells, and even in the airbox, (it looked a a pillow when I opened it). And I have lost a few connections.

Good luck.