Glad you got it together. Sounded like a little pita. Now you better take plenty of picks at Moab.
Whatchu Workin' On?
- Thread starter Fitzgerald
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Well, apparently I'm chasing an electrical gremlin tomorrow.
We were down in Salida last night. As it got later, I noticed that the lights in the gauge cluster were off, with the exception of the shift indicator. Then, I go to start the truck and pull out of a parking spot and the shifter won't move - like the safety interlock won't disengage.
A quick search on mud indicates that the interlock is on the same circuit as the brake lights - if they're out, check your fuse. Sure enough, brake lights are out, fuse is blown.
Replace the 10A fuse, and we're on our way again. But I notice a few more things ... instrument lights are still out, left blinker, brakes or 4-way flashers all cause the clock and shift indicator in cluster to dim significantly. And very occasionally, several of the idiot lights in the cluster light up - tapping the brake makes them go off.
So far it's just annoying, right? Well on the way home on I25 tonight, at 70 mph, I lose all electric and the truck shuts down. I dead-stick it onto the N Academy exit and get stopped on the shoulder. Put it in park, crank it, and it starts. Head down to Academy, and it stops again. Drift into a parking lot and restart it again.
This is complete electrical failure - clock and radio are reset. I'm about to call AAA, but I dork around in the parking lot for awhile, and can't get it to stop again, so I drove home with no more issues.
So, not entirely sure where to start. Think I'll look at the battery connections first since its easy and I'm not sure what else could shut down everything like that. Then I'll look at the left rear tail light and vicinity, then at the brake pedal mechanism and wiring. If I haven't found it by then, I dunno what's next. Suggestions welcome!
We were down in Salida last night. As it got later, I noticed that the lights in the gauge cluster were off, with the exception of the shift indicator. Then, I go to start the truck and pull out of a parking spot and the shifter won't move - like the safety interlock won't disengage.
A quick search on mud indicates that the interlock is on the same circuit as the brake lights - if they're out, check your fuse. Sure enough, brake lights are out, fuse is blown.
Replace the 10A fuse, and we're on our way again. But I notice a few more things ... instrument lights are still out, left blinker, brakes or 4-way flashers all cause the clock and shift indicator in cluster to dim significantly. And very occasionally, several of the idiot lights in the cluster light up - tapping the brake makes them go off.
So far it's just annoying, right? Well on the way home on I25 tonight, at 70 mph, I lose all electric and the truck shuts down. I dead-stick it onto the N Academy exit and get stopped on the shoulder. Put it in park, crank it, and it starts. Head down to Academy, and it stops again. Drift into a parking lot and restart it again.
This is complete electrical failure - clock and radio are reset. I'm about to call AAA, but I dork around in the parking lot for awhile, and can't get it to stop again, so I drove home with no more issues.
So, not entirely sure where to start. Think I'll look at the battery connections first since its easy and I'm not sure what else could shut down everything like that. Then I'll look at the left rear tail light and vicinity, then at the brake pedal mechanism and wiring. If I haven't found it by then, I dunno what's next. Suggestions welcome!
Wow Eric, that really sucks. Glad you got if off the road safely and then home. Sounds like you have a decent plan of attack starting at the battery and working in. Sure sounds like something is loose somewhere. I know our vehicles are different but perhaps some of the electrical is the same. I have the factory EWD you are welcome to borrow.
Indeed. Ill be taking the the wife's DSLR with. Unfortunately, that only means I get pics of others. Lol
Do you have the print one, or electronic? I have the PDF, but have found working from it out at the vehicle is a hassle. May take you up on that if the easy stuff doesn't pan out.
Battery terminals were fine.
On the top bulb of the left rear lights, one of the poles shows a dead short to ground. Checked the right side, and didn't see it there. This could explain the blown tail light fuse and the dimming lights when the left blinker/hazards/brake lights are on. By pulling connectors apart, I've isolated it to a stretch of wire between the lights and a connector about 20" away in the rear quarter panel. There are alot of wires back there, it looks like the PO hacked something together in there, so that's my prime suspect. Cold hands, so I'm calling it a day for now.
Not sure how this could account for the gauge lights being out or the two complete shutdowns. Will be looking through the wiring diagrams a bit more tonight.
On the top bulb of the left rear lights, one of the poles shows a dead short to ground. Checked the right side, and didn't see it there. This could explain the blown tail light fuse and the dimming lights when the left blinker/hazards/brake lights are on. By pulling connectors apart, I've isolated it to a stretch of wire between the lights and a connector about 20" away in the rear quarter panel. There are alot of wires back there, it looks like the PO hacked something together in there, so that's my prime suspect. Cold hands, so I'm calling it a day for now.
Not sure how this could account for the gauge lights being out or the two complete shutdowns. Will be looking through the wiring diagrams a bit more tonight.
Sounds a bit like what happened to Ryan's 80 on metberry. His would start sometimes and run, then go dead. It was the wiring harness behind the valve cover on the firewall. You can run yourself ragged ohming things out. Could be reading through another lamp, or relay coil, who knows.
Man am I glad that didn't happen on the Utah trip.
Man am I glad that didn't happen on the Utah trip.
Yea, I'm familiar with that failure mode - a year or so ago I wrapped the EGR pipe that causes the problem with header wrap, wrapped the harness there with some other reflective wrap, and tied the harness back away from the header. So hopefully that's not it.
I definitely have a short to ground from the LR tail light. I'll fix that first, then keep moving down the list. I don't think that could be causing all of the problems, but seems very odd that they all show up at once.
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Lets see...got the NOS front bumper installed, upper dash pad is installed and tranny boot is installed. Still chasing some electrical gremlins. The hard top glass goes in on Thursday, and should have the rims/wheels installed later this week. May 2nd will be here before I know it!
My PO hacked together his own trailer harness off the rear tail light wires. Worked fine for about a month after I bought the truck then started blowing fuses left and right. I didn't get the other weird symptoms but electrical stuff is always goofy. Fix the short and it might fix all of your problems.
Recoated my bedliner with herculiner roll on product. Two coats and I am very happy with the results.
And I ran out of room on my service history log
So I got a little journal for the glovebox.
And I ran out of room on my service history log
So I got a little journal for the glovebox.
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rims are on...just have a couple of things left to button up!
Think I found the electrical problem after chasing alot of ghosts. All kinds of weird stuff - blew the 15A tail light fuse when I turned the lights on, replaced the fuse then the right turn signal actuated the shifter interlock every time it blinked!! Looks like it was the trailer light adapter. Or at least all the strange symptoms have disappeared since I took it out.
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Was it one of those that "clamps" onto the original wiring? I've always been a bit leery of those.
No, i took that out though. It was only two wires on a brake wire and a ground. They just ended - not sure what they were for.
The problem was in the aftermarket wiring harness adapter to go from the vehicle to the trailer. Similar to this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000JKCSX8?tag=ihco-20
Eric, check for a short in your trailer wiring, that will cause those units to go bad, ask me how I know.
OK, I'll take a look. Still having an issue - occasionally several of the warning lights on the dash light up and then go off. I think the guage lights aren't working either. Wondering if something else got damaged.
Posted a thread on the electrical problem in the 80 section to get some more ideas: https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/electrical-help-gremlin-after-trailer-wiring-adapter-failed.854477/
Had my son watch the dash tonight while wiggled the fusible links and such with the truck running. No lights.
Bit the positive terminal on the battery was to hot to touch after a 25 mile/45 minute drive. That doesn't seem right. Anybody want to pop the hood on an 80 after a drive and confirm?
Had my son watch the dash tonight while wiggled the fusible links and such with the truck running. No lights.
Bit the positive terminal on the battery was to hot to touch after a 25 mile/45 minute drive. That doesn't seem right. Anybody want to pop the hood on an 80 after a drive and confirm?