Electrical Starting Problem

[JJanzen]

I'm sure this is really basic stuff but I need some help. Today, I was changing out the cig lighter and had not unhooked the battery (first mistake). The wire must have touch a ground somewhere and it sparked. I figured I had probably blown a fuse....no big deal. Went to look for the bad fuse, replaced several fuses while there and none of them looked bad. Replaced them anyway. I then went to start the truck and nothing. Not any electrical anywhere....with or without the key on. Since I had been working on the gauge cluster also, I thought maybe I had run the battery down. Stuck the charger on for several hours and nothing. I am lost on where to go from here.....can anyone help? Thanks. Joel

[cparman]

BLOWN FUSEABLE LINK!! On the large post on the starter there will be a burned wire. You may have to look carefully, as sometime the wire will be burned inside the conduit. DISCONNECT THE BATTERY, and remove the 9/16or5/8 nut on the post that attaches the positive battery cable to the starter. There will be a couple of small wires attached to the same post. tug on the small wires and you will find one broken. NAPA will sell replacement FUSEABLE LINKS. Some will have the eye attaches, and you will have to crimp the other end to the wiring harness.

[JJanzen]

cparman,
I will give it a look this morning and let you know the outcome. Thanks for the help.

[68gmsee]

Also, if you have trouble locating the problem, start trouble shooting (with a meter) at the battery. Follow the positive cable to the starter, etc. Check the voltage at each connection..

[cameeks]

Mine was doing the same thing but my wire going from the ignition switch to the alt was broke at the fuse panel and grounding out. after I repaired the bulkhead connection it worked fine.

[Longhorn Man]

Originally Posted by 68gmsee

Also, if you have trouble locating the problem, start trouble shooting (with a meter) at the battery. Follow the positive cable to the starter, etc. Check the voltage at each connection..

That wire would be fine unless he was working on the starter and grounded it out.
Troubleshoot the SMALL wire from the positive to the fire wall... it should actually be between the battery and the small positive post on the fenderwell.

[68gmsee]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

That wire would be fine unless he was working on the starter and grounded it out.
Troubleshoot the SMALL wire from the positive to the fire wall... it should actually be between the battery and the small positive post on the fenderwell.

True, true. However, the reason I mentioned pos lead as a starting point is because he has no voltage anywhere??? By checking the pos lead it will tell him if he has voltage from the battery, and also if the terminal is not internally defective (had that problem myself).

That small wire Longhorn Man is talking about should either have a fuse or be a fusible link-if I remember correctly.

[cdowns]

take both battery cables off clean both ends(thats a total of4) and hook them backup

[cameeks]

Originally Posted by 68gmsee

True, true. However, the reason I mentioned pos lead as a starting point is because he has no voltage anywhere??? By checking the pos lead it will tell him if he has voltage from the battery, and also if the terminal is not internally defective (had that problem myself).

That small wire Longhorn Man is talking about should either have a fuse or be a fusible link-if I remember correctly.

That was the same with my problem. I had no power to anything but the battery had a full charge. The only way I got home was by running a power wire to the coil and starting it with a screw driver. A cop followed me home because I had no turn signals or brake lights. when I pulled my wiring harness from under the dash that is when I saw the wire from the alt/battery going to the ignition switch broke off at the bulkhead. I fixed that connection and all was working again.

[Longhorn Man]

While all that is true, and valad points, since he started with a running truck, sparked an unfused wire, and then had no power, then the normal troubleshooting would follow that small wire to the fuseable link, or if it is missing, then across the core support to the firewall. The reason he gets no crank when he turns the key.

from JJ I then went to start the truck and nothing

If the main cable was faulty, and not the small power lead, then he'd get a click.

[JJanzen]

I just wanted to give everyone an update to what I found on my electrical problems (that I created). First, the black and red wire running into the plug at the ignition switch were fried as well as the plastic plug that goes into the ignition switch....it was melted and severely damaged. I replaced both the plug and spliced in new wires to the harness. Secondly, the wire that runs through the firewall to the starter was also fried. Needless to say, I will never work on the electrical again without disconnecting the battery! Thanks to all that contributed to this problem...I greatly appreciate your input! Joel

[Longhorn Man]

Sounds like someone has redone some of the wiring. That wire from the starter to the firewall is probably the one I was talking about that originally ran from the battery to the firewall.