Dead truck

[Teacherman]

I kinda of got cocky today. After successfully replacing the alternator and radiator on my wife's Altima, I finally got the nerve up to install the new headlight wiring harness on the Crew. To my surprise, everything went fine. Until I went to flip on the lights.

Nothing. Then I noticed the dome light wasn't on. Not a sound when I went to crank the engine. Rechecked the connections. Tried again. Zip. Took the wiring harness out of the system (disconnected orange line from positive battery cable, unplugged from existing wiring harness). Tried again. Nothing. Took battery to DAP for a check. It needed to be charged completely and then tested again (waiting for that now).

What could I have possibly done wrong that would have drained the battery in a matter of minutes? Yes, the cable were hooked the right way (red to the plus and black to the minus). I retightened the bolt holding the solenoid and the white wire to the fender wall. Will see if that works when I get the battery back.

In the meantime, suggestions would be appreciated.

John

[montana_hiboy]

it doesn't sound to me as though you did anything wrong, sounds to me as though the battery was already dead.

[Teacherman]

Battery checked out fine. Replaced positive cable. Nothing. Got too dark to do anything else for the day. It'll have to sit in the driveway until tomorrow afternoon when I can try again.

[knightfire83]

Sounds like you have the power feed wire to the cab disconnected at the starter solenoid.

Result: no power to the under dash fuse block or ignition switch.

Look where the positive battery cable connects to the starter solenoid stud, bet you find a ring terminal either disconnected or a broken wire.

There should be the big positive battery cable connected there alongside with at least 2-3 other ring terminals.

[Teacherman]

After adding the new wiring harness, there are three ring terminals connected, not counting the positive battery cable. In addition, there is an unattached wire nearby. It has "Fusible Link" on it, but no ring connector. It looks quite old. I don't remember taking that particular wire off. If push comes to shove, I'll see if my favorite mechanic can make a house call. Besides, I've got a trannie fuel leak where the linkage goes into the transfer case I'd like to get looked at.

[basketcase0302]

John,

there are three ring terminals connected, not counting the positive battery cable

These three wires are connected to the same side of the solenoid as the positive battery cable aren't they?

Also that fusible link would normally be hooked up to the same place, (this is what would normally power the truck).

Could it have slipped out of a terminal end or broken off terminal end?

Jeff

[Teacherman]

A fallen terminal end is a possibility. I took all the ring terminals off the solenoid post when I replaced the positive battery cable, scrubbed the post and terminals with a wire brush, and put them back on. There wasn't a spare ring on the post. However, it is possible it got separated earlier in the process without my noticing (my son was "helping," and there were times when I was focused somewhere else). I'll check around the truck tomorrow. If I don't find anything, then I'll get a new ring terminal, put it on the wire, hook it up and see if anything explodes. Jeff, if you hear a large boom from the south early tomorrow evening you can pretty much guess something went wrong.

[Thunderfoot]

The main power wire to the cab should be "Black - Yellow stripe" from the solenoid... what color is that wire you found?

[Teacherman]

I feel like the guy in that H&R Block commercial. His explanation of hwo he refiled his taxes and saved a bundle, "I got people." Well, I do too.

Put ring terminal on the black wire (had an orange block which read Fusible Link), hooked it up (got to remember to disconnect that negative battery cable first. The sparks scared me and my kid) and it fired right up.

I have no clue how that wire became disconnected. I still can't find an extra ring terminal anywhere.

But thanks folks.

[Mohillbilly]

It sounds like the fusible link has been replaced and the PO just stuck on the post, since they usually don't come with connectors on them.

[l1k2gadd]

The wire you reconnected should have been above the fusible link, right? The fuse portion of the fusible link is still there? You want to be sure you don't leave your harness unprotected. That's supposed to burn up before your harness does in a short-circuit condition (in theory).

[Teacherman]

Yea, the fusible link was still there -- yellow, rectangular part of the wire with Fusible Link written on it. If that's not it, then I'm in trouble.

[ford4x4fun]

When I did my cab swap that thing haunted me for 5 days. I finally got on here was looking at the wiring schematics, and saw the word fusable link. Went and replaced it with an inline fuse, and boom my truck started right up. One wire kills everything!!!

[Teacherman]

When I did my cab swap that thing haunted me for 5 days. I finally got on here was looking at the wiring schematics, and saw the word fusable link. Went and replaced it with an inline fuse, and boom my truck started right up. One wire kills everything!!!

Tell me about! I going to install a new inline fuse wire and see if I can get the after market cruise control working again. I think I've tracked the problem to a broken fuse link.

[ford4x4fun]

I would replace it with an actual fuse, and not an inline link. Easier to change if it does pop. But let me tell you what a headache that was!!!!