Some Electrical Problems, please help!

[moparmania]

1. The washers don't work. I bench tested the motor and it works and so do the wipers.

2. The dome light doesn't work. Bulb is good. I bought two new door jamb switches, still doesn't work. Doesn't work by turning it on with the headlight switch either.

3. The cargo light doesn't work. Bulb is good. The red light comes on at the switch.

4. When I turn on the parking lights, I hear a click over by the glove compartment/air conditioner. Kinda sounds like when a circuit breaker goes off in your house but not as loud.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

[1971ford]

all i can tell you is to trace the wiring until you find a problem. i have had to do that many times and have found alot by doing it. its a paint sometimes though.

[bluef250]

Check to make sure pump has a steady stream by removing the outlet line. Trace hose to nozzles and clean (or replace hose) as needed.

First, make sure the ground is good at the dome light. Could be the headlight switch is bad. Get an inexpensive VOM and make sure you have power at switches.

Again, make sure the ground is good for cargo light. Both the dome and cargo light look like they get their power from the headlight light switch. If the lights working then you power to the cargo switch.

The click might be a relay. Do you have running lights on the cab?

[Thunderfoot]

Both of these (washer pump & dome lights/cargo light) have separate fuses in the fuse box...

The fuse for the washer pump also supplies power to the reverse lights, and the turn signal flashers... so if both those are working then there is a problem with the wiper switch for the washer or something in the wiring to it... there is a separate connector that plugs into the wiper switch for the washer pump, be sure it is connected...

The Fuse for the dome lights / cargo light are the same Look at this diagram for the wiring... http://www.fordification.com/images/sch ... ycargo.jpg

On the click sound when you turn on the park lights, do you have factory cab lights on your truck? it could be the relay you are hearing for them...

[moparmania]

I had some time today to look at this stuff, so I delved into the washer motor problem.

The washer motor does not work from the switch, but it works when I bench test it. I pulled out the switch and there was just one plug, no extra wires and everything looked good.

Didn't get a chance to look at the dome/cargo lights yet.

The truck does not have running lights on the cab. Would it still have a relay from the factory?

[Thunderfoot]

To check the wiper switch to see if it is the problem for the washer pump, look at this diagram... If you unplug the connector take a test light to the "Washer Pump Power" and turn on the key, you should have power there, if not then there is a problem with the power wire some where. If you have power there then take and use a piece of wire to jump the "Washer Pump" to the "Washer Pump Supply" then turn on the key and see if the pump works. If it does then the switch is bad, if not then there is a problem in the wiring to the pump...
Here is the wire diagram also... http://www.fordification.com/images/sch ... washer.jpg


On the lights, the factory relay would not be there unless it had the cab lights... You may have to see if you can track that one down as to what it is that is making the sound...

[fordman]

the washer switch has two small plugs you must have one unplugged or missing. the two wire plug is for the washer motor.

[moparmania]

On the lights, the factory relay would not be there unless it had the cab lights... You may have to see if you can track that one down as to what it is that is making the sound...

I found the clicking sound from when I turn on the parking lights. There is a relay and a circuit breaker mounted on the inside of the cab on the right side above the vent, just under the dashpad. They match what is in the wiring diagrams which say they are for the cab lights; but mine never came with cab lights. I agree with Thunderfoot, I wouldn't think they would be there from the factory if it didn't have the cab lights. I looked on the roof and confirmed that they were never there. I will post a pic of the relay/breaker soon.

[moparmania]

If you unplug the connector take a test light to the "Washer Pump Power" and turn on the key, you should have power there

When you say take a test light, do you mean one of those things with two prongs that tests house electrical sockets? If so how do I do it? I'm not real electrical savvy.

In fact, since I posted this originally, I've spent countless hours trying to fix all this stuff and all I've successfully done is lose a screw and now the turn signals don't work. I am going backwards. And to top it off, it drives me crazy not to have little electrical stuff like the washers and the dome light working. Some people can live without that stuff, but I have to have every thing working, every switch, light bulb, etc.
Ok, I'm better now.

[Thunderfoot]

When you say take a test light, do you mean one of those things with two prongs that tests house electrical sockets? If so how do I do it? I'm not real electrical savvy.

No... One like this... You can get them at any Auto Parts store or I have even seen them in the grocery stores... Walmart, Fredy's etc... for under $10...
It's a must have for Sparky work you just ground the clip end and stick the probe end into whatever you want, to see if it has 12V on it (the light in it will light) ... (only for automotive use)


I know the feeling on having everything working... I'm the same way

[moparmania]

To check the wiper switch to see if it is the problem for the washer pump, look at this diagram... If you unplug the connector take a test light to the "Washer Pump Power" and turn on the key, you should have power there, if not then there is a problem with the power wire some where. If you have power there then take and use a piece of wire to jump the "Washer Pump" to the "Washer Pump Supply" then turn on the key and see if the pump works. If it does then the switch is bad, if not then there is a problem in the wiring to the pump...

Ok, so I finally did this test. There was power to the connector and the jumper didn't run the pump, so it looks like there is a problem in the wiring to the pump.

Some background on my electrical problems.

When I got the truck, only the cargo light and dome light did not work. I took off some underdash, aftermarket gauges and a brake controller and the washers, blinkers, and reverse lights stopped working. I still can't figure them out. I did get the cargo light working, it was just a loose connection at the light. Can't figure out the dome light either.

So to recap, not working are...

1. dome light
2. reverse lights
3. blinkers (emergency flashers do work)
4. washer motor from switch (bench tested ok)

I do have the 68 wiring guide, but it's not much help. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[1971ford]

could be a different problem with your reverse lights but i fixed mine by cleaning the contacts on the neutral safety switch on the column under the dash. i put it back together, adjusted it and now they work great. i can give more details if you want.

[fordman]

the wires that cames off you brake controller shold be wired back together that should get your other lights working again. the dome light : check the fuse. the washer wiring make sure it has continuity from the swithc to the motor. if not the wiring is bad.

[pgkeating]

New guy here, but I use to work in an auto electrical shop doing starters/alternators, troubleshooting etc. My '67 was stripped down by the PO, to the point of having the nose removed down to the firewall. It was outside for a while and I believe that all the electrical gremlins I was experiencing were due to an intermittent fuse block.
Like you, my flashers worked sometimes, the headlights were *blinky*, radio stopped working, brake lights...the list goes on. As I trouble shot various issues, others would creep in. Fix one thing, and another issue crept up.
The PO had included some extra parts including a new (old) fuse block with ~ 3" of (color coded) wire sticking out.. I had noticed rust on the bus bars on the rear side of the fuse block in the truck. If you look closely, the "tangs" that hold the fuses are riveted onto the bus bar from the rear. It also looks as if the rivets were brass and the tangs & bus bars were metal. There were also factory crimped on connectors that were breaking off, so I had to "rejigger" a couple of connections.
I decided to bite the bullet and cut the old fuse block out and install the "new" fuse block. I carefully cut, crimped, soldered and shrink tubed every wire back together.
EVERYTHING worked as it should when I was finished. I was shocked.
It's difficult getting in near the firewall if you have a clutch. I also have an electric trailer brake box and plow joystick on the left side. And since I have a Highboy, I was wedged in there pretty high & tight, whiffing soldering smoke....but worth it.

I believe that while the PO had it stripped down, the fuse block was exposed to the weather and it allowed the gremlins access, er, um...accelerated the aging process.

[moparmania]

Update:

1. Dome light - tested the socket with a meter and it showed power, so I figured it had to be the bulb even though the filament looked good. I took the bulb out this time and looked at it closer, it had 2 contacts on the end, but the dome socket had only one. I changed the bulb to one with one contact and the dome light works now. Lesson learned, just because the filament looks good, you still could have the wrong bulb. Take it out and check.

2. Cargo light - like I said before, there was a short in the connection at the light socket. If I twist the socket it works. I'll have to pull the rubber off the socket and see if there is a break in the wire. But problem solved.

3. Washer - since the motor tested good and the switch tested good, there must be a problem with the wiring between the switch and the motor.

4. Blinkers - no idea

5. Reverse lights - no idea

Since the washer/blinkers/reverse lights all worked before I took the brake controller and gauges out, I must have cut some wire or messed something up. I'll have to keep trying to track it down.

I did take the advice from pgkeating and took the fuse box off, everything looked good in the back, no corrosion. All the fuses are good. Since everything worked before, I think I can eliminate the fuse box and fuses as the problem.

That's it for now, I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks for all of the help so far.