What did I fry?

Teacherman · Post by **Teacherman** » Sat May 10, 2008 3:23 pm

I successfully changed out the plastic turn signal cancel cam. The first one I ordered was not right, but the second one was. I originally miswired the cancel cam -- so in neutral and right, it flashed left. On left, it didn't flash at all. Swapped the wires and it flashed fine. Reinstalled the instrument cluster, put the steering wheel on, went to start it and nothing. Scanned the instruments, and battery charge indicator had swung to C and temperature gauge was off the charts. Then smelled old, burning plastic, saw swirls of smoke in charge indicator area. Pulled negative terminal off and removed instrument cluster. I managed to bend two of the leads where the electrical connection plugs in, causing a short. Smoothed out the leads, plugged the line back in, reconnected the battery terminal and everything looked OK. Except it won't start. Jumped the starter solinoid and it wanted to crank. Also, turn signal in tail lights work, clicks at the dash, but does not flash front lights or dash lights. All lights work when emergency flashers are turned on.

I'm assuming the ignition switch is fried. Is the turn signal problem related, or could it be that it is not making a good enough connection at the switch to power dash arrows and front bulbs>

rjewkes · Post by **rjewkes** » Sat May 10, 2008 11:18 pm

you might have fried the ammeter for sure, and might have damaged the IPVR.

Not sure on the switch. i guess its possable.

you might have melted the wiring for the ground behind the dash.

Teacherman · Post by **Teacherman** » Sun May 11, 2008 1:14 am

What's the secret for getting the ignition switch out? Lock cylinder was no big deal, but the switch won't budge. Is it better to try and twist and push with the wires attached or not?

390Nut · Post by **390Nut** » Sun May 11, 2008 7:28 am

Not sure about other years, but my ignition switch assembly has a screw holding it in place on the bottom of the dash area, to the left of the steering column. Might check for that.

ford4x4fun · Post by **ford4x4fun** » Sun May 11, 2008 9:21 am

I would first check the fusable link coming off the starter cylinoind! There should be a black wire with either a yellow or orange plastic block around it. I would check to see if you are getting power on the other side of that. That is designed to go, to keep you from melting all your wiring out. I had it go out when I did my cab swap. Took me 5 days to find the problem. Hope this helps!

Teacherman · Post by **Teacherman** » Sun May 11, 2008 7:27 pm

I know that screw holds the ignition switch bracket to the dash. I haven't read anything that says I need to remove that (Chilton's guide plus shop manuals). The instructions say press in the back and turn it 1/8 turn counter clockwise. I've seen pictures of a switch from a 68 or 69 Bronco -- the switch locks into the bezel and its held together by pressure from a spring. Sound familiar?

basketcase0302 · Post by **basketcase0302** » Mon May 12, 2008 4:56 am

John,

Here's the wiring diagram for your truck:
http://www.fordification.com/images/sch ... _quick.jpg

I agree with RJ that you need to check the amp gauge, (if I'm not mistaken it is a "series" circuit through the amp gauge).
If the gauge is fried, it will prevent power from getting to the ignition switch.

I'd also check the fusible link, (that's what they are for). Self-sacrificing to save the wiring in the truck.

Jeff

Teacherman · Post by **Teacherman** » Mon May 12, 2008 7:29 pm

basketcase0302 wrote: I agree with RJ that you need to check the amp gauge, (if I'm not mistaken it is a "series" circuit through the amp gauge).
If the gauge is fried, it will prevent power from getting to the ignition switch.

I'd also check the fusible link, (that's what they are for). Self-sacrificing to save the wiring in the truck.

Jeff

OK. Did I read here somewhere you could quickly check the amp gauge by turning on the ignition switch and headlights and seeing if it moved, or something along those lines? Otherwise, what do I need and how do I do it? If the amp gauge is blown, how hard are those things to find?

Second, what signs would the fusible link show that it is toast -- would it be blown open, black and charred, hold up a little sign saying "I'm done now, please butter me"?

See, this is why us dangerously overeducated people should be kept far, far, far away from tools.

kaptnkaos · Post by **kaptnkaos** » Mon May 12, 2008 8:29 pm

Hey Yeacherman,

I've got an extra gauge cluster w/o a bezel if ya need one.

KaptnKA

S

Teacherman · Post by **Teacherman** » Mon May 12, 2008 8:58 pm

I might at that. Hold onto that for a few days, OK? I'd like to see if I did something really, really horrible, or just kind of awful.

Thunderfoot · Post by **Thunderfoot** » Mon May 12, 2008 9:37 pm

basketcase0302 wrote:John,

(if I'm not mistaken it is a "series" circuit through the amp gauge).
If the gauge is fried, it will prevent power from getting to the ignition switch.

I'd also check the fusible link, (that's what they are for). Self-sacrificing to save the wiring in the truck.

Jeff

Nope, the amp gauge is not in series with any of the starting circuit wires...

If the main fuse link was blown you wouldn't have any power in the truck so the turn lights wouldn't even come on... so I think your fine there as well...

I think you have a problem with the wiring somewhere else as it would NOT start the first try when you had the wires shorted on the Instrument panel... There is nothing in the instrument panel that would keep it from starting, you could even unhook the instrument panel and the truck should run.

I'm thinking you have a problem with the neutral safety switch wiring. I would check there with a test light and work back to the ignition switch to check for the power getting out of the switch to the ignition or on to the starter solenoid for the problem.

Teacherman · Post by **Teacherman** » Mon May 12, 2008 9:52 pm

I jumped the starter solenoid over the weekend, and it began to crank. I stopped because it occurred to me -- if it starts without the key, how does one turn it off exactly? My first thought was the neutral safety switch until I jumped the starter solenoid. It never did crank after plugging the instrument cluster back in. I kind of created link between the two (smoke, burning smell, and not cranking) events.

Thunderfoot · Post by **Thunderfoot** » Mon May 12, 2008 10:25 pm

When you jump the starter solenoid it will try to start because of the 12V boost that the solenoid gives to the coil for start. This is what the second little wire that is towards the firewall on the solenoid is for, it is activated when the solenoid is... It is like turning on the key to start but as soon as you stop jumping it it turns it off.

Like a said, the truck will run without the instrument panel in the truck... I really think you got a problem in the neutral safety switch area, maybe knocked the wire loose or something there when you were working on the turn signal wires.

I think is was just a coincident that both happened at the same time.

A test light is an invaluable tool and cheep $5 I can walk you through what to check with it...

Oh, if it would have started, just disconnect the battery cable.

or you can short the (-) wire on the coil to ground...

Underdog97 · Post by **Underdog97** » Mon May 12, 2008 10:52 pm

I agree with Thunderfoot as it's probably a concidence. You may have shorted the T/S switch out though. The neutral safety switch you can bypass. I Replied to a thread about a neutral safety switch problem a few days ago in it I was talking about how on the manual transmission trucks Ford put in a bypass connector, meaning it plugs into the harness where the neutral safety switch plugs into on the automatic trucks. I've got a few factory ones in my parts stash but they're easy to make. All you need is two pieces of wire and a couple of pushon connectors. to by pass the switch you connect the inside terminals on the connector to the outside terminals, It just takes the NSS out of the starting circuit. Ford was always having a problem with them in the 60's & 70's. You'd have to hold up on the shift lever before it would crank over. I only have one automatic truck and won't deny that I just used a factory manual bypass wire connector on it and said forget trying to adjust it. Also in reading the post I was reading on how to take out an ignition switch. On the 67 to 79 trucks you don't have to turn the switch to unlock the bezel. You do on earlier model Ford trucks for instance 61 thru 66. They unscrew from the front and unlip from the back with the exception of the 67 year trucks which have a post and 3/8 nut securing it. If you do need another ignition switch though PM me as I've got them for every year from 67 to 79

basketcase0302 · Post by **basketcase0302** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:20 am

TF,

Nope, the amp gauge is not in series with any of the starting circuit wires...

I did not say the amp gauge was in series with the starter circuit!

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but not if I'm right...

The amp gauge is in a series circuit to gauge all power consumption in the truck.

John, I've seen Ford's fusible links melt into pieces, fry to a hard non-pliable wire, and burn completely into, (old Maverick I had).

You said above it tries to start.
Will it even turn over using the key at the ignition switch?

Jeff

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