Builds Work In Progress aka: Badass (5 Viewers)

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Truck rolls. But stalled very similar to in June. No bang… I’m admitting that might have been a misfire or something like that because everything checked out. This time was after going around the church lot 3-4 times, brought the rpm’s up to 2500 and all was fine. Sat at end of their driveway to turn into the street… turned, little gas and then poof, no power. Had enough momentum to keep rolling and into my own driveway.
Tested w/ help from Casey @POTATO LAUNCHER the battery and fusible link, both checked out. Then had a moment after checking those when I’d restarted the truck and my dash lights were out. Shook the FLs and then they came on. So…. Ignition switch?

 

[MoaByte]

Sounds like a bad ground.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Sounds like a bad ground.

Hmmm. All were pulled, replaced if necessary and installed. I suppose if they became greasy (because I sucked at some of my reassembly) they might not be making the best contact now.

 

[Ian Crawford]

Sounds electrical to me and likely a grounding issue. I'd start with battery terminal cleanup, check grounds (Do you have @Fourrunner 's cable kit?). I feel like I had a similar intermittent issue and replaced cables with Fourrunner kit, clean all grounds and installed with dielectric grease. No issues since.

If you have any connections you crimped I'd check those first, I've had issues there on other vehicles, longevity is very dependent on crimping equipment/solder/etc.

 

[MoaByte]

I put dielectric grease on my connections. It is supposedly nonconductive, but if properly crimped or clamped, it isn't a problem. But it does help with corrosion. I was surprised to learn that circuits get jolted when connected, enough that wires can loosen over time. Definitely start where jiggling the wires made a difference. It still could be the switch. Nothing like a heavy key ring to wear them out quickly.

 

[RDub]

I read back in your posts but couldn't tell if you can crank the motor when it shuts down or if all electrical is dead. If you can crank it but no start, likely something in the fusible links or ignition switch. If no crank then either bad main grounds (there are at least two, so look at battery terminal) or ignition switch. At least that is what occurs to me. May be wrong.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

I put dielectric grease on my connections. It is supposedly nonconductive, but if properly crimped or clamped, it isn't a problem. But it does help with corrosion. I was surprised to learn that circuits get jolted when connected, enough that wires can loosen over time. Definitely start where jiggling the wires made a difference. It still could be the switch. Nothing like a heavy key ring to wear them out quickly.

I’m not a heavy key ring person. Two keys and a jump ring and that’s it.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

So jumping the gun and ordering the near $100 switch wasn’t the worst idea. It is 36 years old. And I had scoured both battery posts prior to this second stall while driving scenario.
Thank you all for the guidance.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

I read back in your posts but couldn't tell if you can crank the motor when it shuts down or if all electrical is dead. If you can crank it but no start, likely something in the fusible links or ignition switch. If no crank then either bad main grounds (there are at least two, so look at battery terminal) or ignition switch. At least that is what occurs to me. May be wrong.

When I was on the phone w/ Casey after rolling into my driveway I checked the battery and it read decent. Then turned the key to on and checked links. Both ends, all prongs checked out basically the same, 12.63~. Then started it up easily and that’s when I saw my dash lights out. Got out and shook the fusible links and they came back on. I had also shook the key in the ignition and nothing faltered.