Electric gremlin

[Exekiel69]

Something is killing the power to the entire truck, no power looks no ignition no cab light no head light nothing. If I wait some time it comes back and I can start the engine but this time it happened again and I can't get the power back. Is there some main fuse on this trucks I don't find? I checked the engine fuse box and the one on the cab too but not one fuse is blown. Where should I look?

Thank You.

 

[towcat]

ez-
with tha thard of a drain, there's only three options. one) alternator. two) intake heater grid. three) pinched hot wire.
there isn't much in the accessories that will take out two 65's overnight.
in the meantime, you might want to disconnect the batteries in the evening to lessen the odds of a thermonuclear meltdown in the middle of the night.

 

[gonecrazyi]

I had the same problem with my 89, it turned out to be a combination of rotted out ground wires and a bad ignition relay on the fender. I ended up replacing the relay and cleaning up the wires(dont have the time to replace yet) and all was well again.

 

[Ironman03R]

Is it just losing power intermintently or draining the batteries?
Have you checked the battery cables/connections for corrosion/arcing? Just a thought.

 

[frank-id]

Easy battery load test

Get used head lite sealed beam. Connect 2 wires that make lite on. Remove ground cable. Connect one wire on lite to cable and one to neg battery post. If there is any battery load, the lite will be on. On draw and no lite. I have also used a **** from a motor cycle or a volt meter. With the meter, the exact load can be observed. Frank

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Examine that mess of wires between the alternator and starter-relay/solenoid.

The main power junction is within that mess and is a "welded" connection, if my memory serves; meaning, there are about four fat wires sort of melted together.

I think there are some fusible-links within that mess.

You may have opened an almost-in-two connection when you were swapping engines.

 

[Exekiel69]

The batteries are not dead but no light will work nothing at all then out of nowhere they will work. A couple times I move some wires on the engine bay and it will come back but I don't know if this is Me or it just happened at the same time I did it.

The alternator needle moves quite a bit now even when driving, it didn't do this before. Also while driving the speedo will jump and the abs light will come ON.

One time I started the engine and pushed the brake then it died, then another time I started the engine then pushed the un-lock button and it died.

Any ideas?

Thank You.

 

[suv7734]

It's probably best to start with the obvious and work from there. Remove the + and - cables from both batteries and clean the terminals and connectors. Clean and tighten the ground connections from the battery to the block as well.

 

[Full Monte]

Electrical problems can be exasperating. Somewhere in a main line, you have a connection problem. It could even be inside one of your main battery cables. Corrosion at the terminal/wire junction is common. When the corrosion gets bad, the individual wires in the bundle break, reducing the number available to carry current. When the wire vibrates or is moved, ccnnections can be made or broken, depending on what wire is touching what.

There may also be a fusible link in one of the main wires that has burned. A fusible link is a fuse that is not in your fuse panel, but in a wire. You'd have to look at the manual for clues on this one.

 

[Al_E]

Sounds like A bad ground between the motor and body. When ever I run into intermitant problems it usually turns out to be a bad ground.

 

[flitemedic]

Well since Ezikiel is having electrical problems...I might as well make it two of us..Here is my story..1991 f-250 7.3l....a new reman. altenator with new regulator(external)...I'm getting 12-12.5 volts...which just happens to be what is on the batteries(which also are new)...If I rev to about 3k-3.5k the battery lite on dash will go out...but output remains the same...this is actually the 2nd reman alt...since i've returned the first one for same problem(the orig. alt. tested bad)...any ideas?....the wiring appears to be ok...but I'm about to pull the tape *** protective covering off and see for myself...any suggestions appreciated

 

[geonc]

hey Zeke, check that cannon type plug on the right fender---not sure how you rigged up the heater grid but that plug was problematic as it connects 12v direct power to the glow plugs and relay.

It should have 2 - 8 or 10 ga wires that feed 12v constant to the gp relay with key "off"-----in some instances, those light ga wires would melt the plug.

just trace the wires from fender relay to GP relay and you will find them ......

Hope this helps

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Well since Ezikiel is having electrical problems...I might as well make it two of us..Here is my story..1991 f-250 7.3l....a new reman. altenator with new regulator(external)...I'm getting 12-12.5 volts...which just happens to be what is on the batteries(which also are new)...If I rev to about 3k-3.5k the battery lite on dash will go out...but output remains the same...this is actually the 2nd reman alt...since i've returned the first one for same problem(the orig. alt. tested bad)...any ideas?....the wiring appears to be ok...but I'm about to pull the tape *** protective covering off and see for myself...any suggestions appreciated

A good alternator should be showing 14-Volts-PLUS at the starter-relay/solenoid with engine running and over 14 at the batteries.

Good batteries will show 12.5-Volts with the engine OFF.

It reads to me like you have another bad alternator.

I have had very little luck with parts-store rebuilds.

 

[Exekiel69]

I didn't get time to look at it yet but I was thinking what could shut the power to the entire electrical system?

Btw I don't have a charging problem when it runs it charges fine it just shuts off randomly.

Also I removed all the gp wires I just left the wiring for the alt and the wiring for the dash gauges all the gp wires are gone. I will have to take a close look at the wires on the alt and see if any is a fault.

 

[Agnem]

Obvously I've missed some of EZ's posts. Guess you got it running! Where's the thread? And pics? Sounds like you have a loose connection somewhere.