Electrical Doom! HELP!

[bobbyinpd]

Yesterday I drove my 72 f-250 to lunch. when i came back outside, got in the truck went to start it, went click and all the electrical died. no lights, no power anywhere, turning the key on does nothing but I waited a while, lights worked, key turned on, went to start it, click, then all electrical dies. I have checked the battery and its good, it has a brand new solenoid and starter. anyone have any ideas?

[FORDification]

More than likely it's simply corroded battery clamps and posts. Simply clean the posts and clamps (and replace the clamps if they're corroded at all), tighten them up and coat the clamps withe some good dielectric grease to prevent future corrosion.

[bluef250]

If this is a new issue and the truck starter switch has been good and never any problem, try the new components first. New electrical components can fail. First, try replacing the starter solenoid. Reuse the old one you removed if it was still working. Make sure you did not reverse the small wires on the solenoid. Let us know what happens.

Introduce yourself in the Welcome Mat forum and show us some photo's.

[68F250]

Does sound like a battery post issue.

[bobbyinpd]

the posts and clamps are clean, as it is a brand new battery and the clamps are perfect, if not new themselves. I've only had the truck a week. I swapped back the old solenoid and the same thing happens. I also took the battery out of my suburban, also a new optima, and the same thing happens. We're gonna look into it a bit more tonight. any more ideas? I'm seriously stumped....

[fordman]

make sure the cables are tight to the clamps and check the ends that hook to the starter and the soilnoid the cables can become loose in the clamp and you don't know it. do you have headers? has the headers burnt up your starter?

[jor]

It sounds like it must be a bad connection. I would unbolt your ground wire(s), clean them with a wire brush and reinstall. I know you said the battery connections were good but I would clean them up again with a battery post tool (nice and shiny) and reinstall. Finally, I'd disconnect the wire at the starter and do the same. My guess it will fire right up. Good luck and let us know.
jor

[bluef250]

Hope you find the problem with one of the connectors or with the starter. If not, the last item in the start circuit is the ignition switch. You can pull it out of the dash (need the key and stiff wire), on the switch back find the hot wire, the ignition solenoid wire, and the coil wire. See wire diagram for colors.

Before, jumping try some WD40 to see if you can clean debris from switch contacts.

http://www.fordification.com/images/sch ... _quick.jpg

With these wires located, you should easily start truck with a jumper. Use a stiff wire about 3 or 4 inches long bent in a "U". Jump from hot to solenoid, then when the engine starts immediately change from the solenoid to the coil wire terminal. With a little practice (actually, a lot of practice) I used this method for a couple weeks until I could get a switch.

[FORDification]

The ground would be the next thing I'd check. Make sure the battery ground cable is to the block (not the frame) and that it's connection is clean and tight. Also make sure you have an engine ground strap to the body...this is normally from the back of the intake manifold to the firewall.

[dcbullet]

Could try replacing your battery cables. That did it for me when I had your same problem.

[BigRedTruck]

I had something like that happen on my car...it turned out to have a full charge but only 26 out of 560 cca's

[bobbyinpd]

BigRedTruck and all others, thank you for the help! It ended up that both of my batteries had dead cells in them. We did some more multimeter test and just turning the key pretty much would zap them of their amps! now my truck runs again and I am happy. Thank you guys all so much. I will take pics and post them in the welcome mat later today