Electrical gremlin... 1976 fj40.

[MoabChris]

Ok ok i don't know much about electrical systems.

Cruiser was running fine. Then turned it off. Turn the key to start it...nothing. no power at all. No gauges, no lights, it's as if the key wasn't even in the ignition.
2 hours later try again. Turn key cranks right up. It starts up. Turn it off.
Try again ... nothing.
And Now it's dead again...next day. No change.

Recently replaced battery, battery cables, and starter.

Thinking is ignition, I unplugged the 4 wire ignition switch under the dash and plugged in a new one and turned it manually and nothing. Not sure if it has to be installed in the steering column to function properly.

Any ideas? Help much appreciated!

 

[stoshzack]

Make sure your ground connection the negative side of your battery to your body is solid and clean. I had a similar problem. Replaced the starter and it turned out to be the just the connection.

 

[MoabChris]

Is currently grounded to a bolt on the engine...should i move that to a new location/bolt on the frame?

 

[MoabChris]

I forgot to mention...it's got a Chevy small block 350 conversion. So it's a bit of a Frankenbeast...

 

[ginmtb]

Search "never underestimate the importance of a ground" or something like that. I had electrical issues that were driving me crazy. Cleaned up grounds and fuse box connections and all was good. Expose fresh clean metal!

 

[stoshzack]

Not sure about a Chevy conversion, but my stock '70 has the ground to the frame. Also check your ground connection of your starter. Mine is to the frame as well.

 

[sadam_husain]

You need to buy yourself a voltmeter to do some checking, electricity is invisible so its pretty hard to do much without a meter

 

[thebigredrocker]

Sounds like a bad ground

 

[MoabChris]

Replaced the ignition switch, took out and checked all the fuses on the block. Added a ground cable from the battery to frame rail, and frame rail to engine.
No change. Still no power at all when i turn the key.

Could this be a bad voltage regulator? ...or a bad ground from the fuse block?

Trying to isolate why the fuse block is getting no power when the key is turned on.

The back of the fuse block looks spiced/ hacked by PO.....

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Do you have a fusible link between the battery positive terminal and the harness on the passenger fender?

If so, check the connections and the fusible link itself.

 

[php74]

I never thought I'd say this....listen to Sadam Husain

 

[MoabChris]

Ok. Picked up a volt meter... now what do i check first? Battery is good...

Checked the fusable link...fuse was good.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Ok. Picked up a volt meter... now what do i check first? Battery is good...

Checked the fusable link...fuse was good.

But, are the link connections good? My connection, from the harness, on the passenger side was weak... It would vibrate loose (especially when warm from current flowing) and when it cooled down, it would work again. Intermittent.

The negative battery terminal should be grounded to the frame, behind the passenger wheel, just in front of the shock.

I just looked back at post 9. I must have skipped over this!

That's a mess waiting to morph to a disaster!

The white-blue is the main power source (fusible link ties into it). It will burn your truck down... I'd start there and clean it all up!

And what's with that orange to black-yellow splice? It looks like the PO spliced it with a bit of solder and a lighter...

Where does the orange go?

 

[MoabChris]

The orange to Black Yellow splice has a fusable link and looks like it goes directly to the distributor.

I'll check the connections again...

 

[ginmtb]

Replaced the ignition switch, took out and checked all the fuses on the block. Added a ground cable from the battery to frame rail, and frame rail to engine.
No change. Still no power at all when i turn the key.

Could this be a bad voltage regulator? ...or a bad ground from the fuse block?

Trying to isolate why the fuse block is getting no power when the key is turned on.

The back of the fuse block looks spiced/ hacked by PO.....

View attachment 1404897

This looks like a dangerous situation. Agree with @pngunme that needs to be addressed. Bad splice (looks like for a fuse holder?) and then a damaged white/blue wire (crack and burn?).

While the fuses may look good get some fine grit sandpaper and hit up all the metal connections so they are shiny. Corrosion can form and can impact the connections.

Lastly you mentioned the fusible link fuse looked fine. Is it a fuse or a wire? I have heard of the wire inside the insulation failing but the insulation not melting. You should check for continuity in the fusible link.

 

[ginmtb]

This is a fusible link:

 

[MoabChris]

I stand corrected...i don't have a fusable link coming off the positive terminal. Just a straight red wire connecting into the harness...

 

[MoabChris]

The orange to Black Yellow splice has a fusable link and looks like it goes directly to the distributor.

I'll check the connections again...

..not a fusable link to the distributor. A wire with a fuse.

 

[ginmtb]

I stand corrected...i don't have a fusable link coming off the positive terminal. Just a straight red wire connecting into the harness...

I suggest you install one or you may end up with much bigger problems. @Coolerman sells them I would reach out to him. It is designed to protect your harness from frying.

 

[MoabChris]

So you guys recommend checking the positive power wrote from the battery all the way to the fuse block? At each connection ...?