Truck wont turn over. Need help figuring it out.

[treveiger]

Hey guys, just put a new battery in my truck after winter storage and she turned over for about a second then just stopped and I lost all power. No radio, headlight, air horn or anything even if I turn the key into different positions I still get nothing. I didn't see a fuse blown and was wondering what I should look for. Thanks!

[Security guy]

Check your connections on the battery... sounds like one of the terminals are not making a good connection. Clean the posts and also the cable end.

[treveiger]

OK will do, I checked them when I put the new one in and they seemed OK but I know looks are deceiving.

[Hutch]

Check the fusible link up on the fender
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[treveiger]

Is this the fuse you are talking about? There's just a spring in there right now, if it is what size fuse should it be? Cleaned the fittings and still nothing.

[Lanman1972]

There should be a wire from the battery to a terminal block on the fender, that wire I believe is the link.

[treveiger]

Yep that's the one, there was just a spring in there, I'm assuming to connect the wires. Could of that caused a issue with the ignition and overall power to the truck?

[Custom/20]

I'm not exactly sure what rating of fuse but it would be a short buss fuse.

[Security guy]

Have you got a voltmeter? If you do, you'll have to check from a good ground to that wire and see if you have 12 volts on the one side of that wire.. if so, then check some other places to find where you lose the 12 volts. A simple $20 voltmeter from auto parts store will work... I'm not sure why there's a spring in there.. I would think it would be a regular fuse but I may be wrong.. someone else may chime in

[treveiger]

Just got the voltmeter out and I have power until this little box on the inside of the truck under the dash. Any ideas what it is and if that could affect it?

[PIG-TECH]

Originally Posted by Custom/20

I'm not exactly sure what rating of fuse but it would be a short buss fuse.

thats a 30 amp fuse. i just replaced one today

[treveiger]

Awesome, thank you. I'll get some tomorrow. Any ideas what that box is?

[Security guy]

I think that little box is just the blinker relay... for your turn signals


Make sure the bulk-head connector from under the hood to the fuseblock is connected good.. you may have a loose connection there. There's a bolt in the center of the connector (under the hood) that holds the two together. Sometimes it could get corroded and not make good contact to the fuseblock..

[PIG-TECH]

the one painted orange is your horn relay, the one on the fuse is turn signal

[Security guy]

Yea, he's right.... My next thought would be to check the starter... I think there's a fusible link close to where the main power wire goes to the starter as well... although that shouldn't affect your lights, etc... if all your lights, radio, etc. is out, it's got to be at the fuse block somewhere.. if your lights do work, then have someone try to start it while you have the meter at the starter and see if you have voltage getting there. Safety first of course. Just thinking out loud. I'm not the best at electrical diagnosis, just thinking out loud...

[poway]

That box with the green/red/black wires is your horn relay. The green wire runs to the horn inside the engine compartment. The black wire by the battery with the fuse/spring feeds one side of the volt/amp meter. There should be another fuse holder (black wire) that on the driver's side that feeds the other side of the volt/amp meter. They both should have 4 amp fuses installed. Both go thru the firewall connector that fits on the fuse block inside the cabin. Try to get rid of the clamshell connector. The blue and red wires connected together is not correct. Trace them and find out what they are connected to. Download and print the wiring diagrams (front/rear) on the link below. It will save you a lot of time if you follow it correctly. Check the continuity of all fuses on the fuse block. I found out the hard way that even new fuses can be defective even though they look like they are not blown. I spent endless hours tracing wires only to find out that I had a defective fuse.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=185856

[PIG-TECH]

if you have some power like to your horn relay but not to your lights, after you check your continuity on all fuses like poway said. it would be good idea to pull your fuse box and check your post on the back. i always find burnt wires behind there or a broken post

[treveiger]

The blue and red wire are for the train horn, the clam shell connector is bad I agree, I need to solder it. Well we tested with a multimeter and all the fuses in the panel check out and the panel is getting power also. I'm wondering if it could be the ignition switch or is that most likely not it? The truck has power to the fuse box but not to the truck components. The lights turned on real dim today and I tried turning it over and the starter jumped slightly then I lost all power again. Could it be a ground somewhere?

[treveiger]

Wonder why these melted. If I play with the ignition switch I can get the radio to flicker on and off but not enough juice to run it. Is there a way to take the switch off and look at it?

[El Dorado Jim]

not your whole problem, but I would replace your battery cable, the one you have has the replacement clamp on end on it, they don't make a good contact,good for a temporary fix, you should go to a parts store and get one with a molded end on it...

[treveiger]

OK sounds good, I'll do that when I can. Well I took off the ignition switch and tested the connections with the multimeter and it seemed like everything tested well.... I'm really at a loss with this one.

[poway]

Treveiger: According to your description and photos, there looks to be a couple of concerns here. The red 12 ga. wire coming from the junction box next to the battery runs to the bulkhead connector and to the ignition switch. All of your in cabin power comes from that wire. That burned/melted ignition switch connector makes me nervous. It appears that the brown and purple wires on the pigtail are getting too much current. Purchase a new ignition switch and ignition switch pigtail. Both parts from the Truck Shop in Orange, CA are less than $20.00 plus shipping. I would remove the entire under dash wiring harness. You’ll be able to easily inspect each wire and remove any booger wiring that a P.O. may have added. Trace the brown and purple wire from the pigtail to find out why they are overheating at the ignition switch. It will be a bit of work but you will have a peace of mind that the wiring is correct. You will have to remove the gauge cluster but it will allow you to inspect and clean up any connections on it also.
I wanted to clear up something I said in my previous post: “The green wire runs to the horn inside the engine compartment.” It should have read: “The green wire runs thru the bulkhead connector and then to the horn inside the engine compartment.”

[treveiger]

I got it started today, the battery posts were not connecting well so I cleaned them up then it fired over but I only have blinkers and the air horn and maybe brake lights. I'm not done figuring out the problem and plan on taking it all apart to figure it out. I will be replacing the battery cables next. Honestly I'm planning on ordering a complete new wiring harness for the truck then just doing it that way so hopefully I won't have more issues. I've replaced pretty much everything else on it.