Major electrical problem

[jdurham]

I am on the road and have had a major electrical problem. I was winching my race car on the trailer when the winch just quit. The truck was running with the marker lights on. When I looked for the problem, the marker lights were VERY dim, the oil pressure and temperature gauge were pegged high and one headlight was burning very dimly (even after the light switch was turned off). I made it to my destination with no lights working, and every time I hit the brakes the voltage gauge dropped to zero. I am about to go see if I burned up a headlight switch (again), but when that has happened in the past, it didn't do anything to the other systems in the truck. I tried to roll up the power windows, but they moved about 1/2" and stopped. It looks like the battery is dead, but the truck cranks right up and runs fine. The truck is a 90 D350 2wd, 85K, no drivetrain or electrical mods. Also, the fuses look good, but the a/c blower doesn't work now either. As a footnote, the winch was wired to the battery directly, so I feel this was a coincidence. Any help would be greatly appreciated!



Jim

 

[Philip]

Pull the main wiring harness firewall bulk head connector loose and check the terminals. See if any are burnt or loose in the socket. This is done under the hood.



I have seen this problem on older trucks. I have seen the main power feed burn out the terminals and the feed wire from the Alt also.



I hope I am wrong. This is a pain ($$$) to repair properly.

 

[jdurham]

Thanks Phillip, I'll check that before I hook the battery back up. I pulled the light switch, and the connector was burned into two pieces. Called local dealer, got new switch and connector. I am about to go solder the connector into the harness and reassemble. While I was at it, I decided to check the instrument cluster because my odometer doesn't work, and the speedo doesn't work until about 30-35 mph, then it jumps up and works properly until I stop again. Found a little blue plastic gear that drives the odometer missing a tooth. Does anyone have one or know where I can get one? Doesn't appear the dealer is any help.



Jim

 

[jdurham]

OK, I soldered in the harness connector for the headlight switch, installed the new switch, and checked the bulkhead connector at the firewall (looked perfect). I reconnected the battery, but there was no improvement. The parking lights are dim, with one headlight glowing dimly while the switch is in the parking ligt position. The gauges are still haywire, and the power accessories act as if the battery is dead, although the engine starts and runs fine. I am out of ideas, so if any of you have any, I'll go check them out.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

could be a bad connection at the engine speed sensor... I believe it is required to energize the alternator and all the FAQ's say AC not working and cruise not working are other signs.



hth,



Forrest

 

[jdurham]

Thanks Forrest. I am not sure where it is though, so if you could clue me in I'll check it out.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

to be perfectly honest w/ you, I don't know exactly, but I've recently been messing w/ my charging system and I did a search and came up with a lot of good posts...



Forrest

 

[jdurham]

Well, I've tried everything I can think of, still no results. The whole thing is like the battery is dead, except for the starter. The whole electrical system is really acting strange. I can't get back to Atlanta like this, so I am dead in the water. I am open to any and all ideas...



Jim

 

[Forrest Nearing]

click HERE



and type in charging problems... or alternator charging... or electrical problems and it should bring up a number of good posts... that's where I learned about the engine speed sensor...



on another related note, there was a flier in the box that my alternator came in that said "FREE INFORMATION! If you are replacing an alternator on a dodge diesel due to poor charging and your air conditioner and or cruise control doesn't work, check the engine speed sensor... " etc etc.



Forrest

 

[ETOBICOKE]

Electrical Problem

The winch is likely the key to your problem, when it stopped working most some of the wiring ended up getting fried. First because you are having so many strange things happening, check the chassis grounds that go from the battery to the truck body, the starter has it's own ground and thats why it works fine. If the winch was grounded to the chassis this could be your problem, the chassis ground wires don't have enough capacity for that much current. If that does not resolve the problem, most likely the winch wiring has overheated and burned into the wiring harness and shorted it out. :--)



Neil

 

[jdurham]

Forrest, I tried that, but didn't get any clues to the strange problem I am having, but will look again tonight. Thanks a lot for the help.



Neil,



The winch is wired positive straight to the battery, negative to the frame near the rear bumper (both with 0 gauge). The winch is about three months old, has worked perfectly before, and was pulling the car after it was stripped and had no drivetrain (weighing probably <1000 lbs). I don't think the winch is the problem, but it sounds possible that the ground is the problem. Sinc I have the additional joy of a thunderstorm to work in, I may wait until morning, disconnect the ground, clean it, and replace it. Thanks for the tip!



Jim

 

[Philip]

Ok you have replaced the head light switch now and still have the problem. I think your winch has blown the grounds from the body to the battery. The battery only has small wires to the body grounds. The main cable hooks to the engine block. (Remember the engine is rubber mounted).



If you have a set of jumper cables handy. Hook one side up to your battery ground. Then pick a good place on the body and hook them up. (Ground only). Then try your lights. If they work properly. Then you know you have a grounding problem.



If it is a ground problem replace you neg cable. The smaller wire could have went bad where it goes into the cable clamp.



Also reground the winch to the battery neg terminal. Most body grounds on anything with 4 or more wheels can't handle the amps that a winch requires. You could also put a battery cable from the engine to the frame rail to cure the ground for the winch and body.

 

[Dfeland]

I second the ground from the winch it needs to be hooked up directly to the battery otherwise every single small ground wire from the frame to the body to the battery has to carry the load and it can't. Remember (I don't know what size your winch is) but the medium and larger ones pull 400amps plus. Check the fusiable links under the hood to the front of your heater grid contactors.

 

[hdm48]

I third the ground issue. But there is one more thing to check. Follow yhe wire from the wench up to where it takes it's power from the battery. Make sure you haven't cooked a wire or group of wires. Somehow your getting power to that head light and it sounds like a ground or power bleeding over because of welded wires.

sometimes you can melt wires in a bundle and can't see it because the tape holding the group together didn't blister or melt.

It sounds like the park lights are trying to ground through the head light. If that's the case, check the ground that comes off the head-light switch.

just throwing things out there for you. I hate wiring troubles. They will keep you up nights.



Good luck man. I hope you find it.

I don't know where you are, but if your in the Everett wa. area call me and if you can get to my house we can fix it or die trying.

425-330-6934

--dave--

 

[Forrest Nearing]

after re-reading the entire post under the influence of a little caffeine, I'm gonna go ahead and 4th the ground issue...



keep us posted!



Forrest

 

[mblair]

amen to checking the grounding problem

My father in law was an electronics techinician on the Minuteman missile. He said many auto electronics problems are caused by grounding problems. I've had a few myself. Be sure ground is not just tight, but making a good clean contact as well.

I believe you said you had a trailer hooked up. If it is plugged to light system, you could try unplugging that. Also, I think the jumper cable to the frame trick would be a very good start.

To me, your starter working okay, which probably uses more power than any thing else(with the possible exception of your winch), indicates you've got plenty of power, but your accessories sounds like ground faults.

Good Luck.

Max Blair

 

[Philip]

The only problem I have seen by putting the jumper cable/battery cable to the frame for a permanent fix is. Some times you get alt interference in the radio.



I hope if it is the body grounds it didn't blow some of the gauges or the computer. With that much amprege looking for a ground can cause all sorts of problems.

 

[jdurham]

Well, I hate to even post this, since no one will believe it, I don't even believe it. I went out this morning to take a look at the suspect ground problems, and the truck was sitting in the sun, so I thought I'd move it about 20 yds into the shade. I fired it up, and the a/c came on. I decided to check everything, and it ALL worked! I decided since I was a day late getting home, that I'd not mess with the truck until getting home. So, with my fingers crossed, I left South Carolina and headed back to Atlanta. The truck performed flawlessly, and I ran the marker lights the whole way to check my work on the switch. Looks like all is well. I will be going out and getting new cable for the winch ground, and cleaning and checking all ground connections. Who knows, maybe the other things wrong with the truck will fix themselves while I sleep as well! Thank you very much to those who offered advice or to help while I was stranded. Now if I can find a replacement for that broken little gear that drives the odometer, I'll be set.



Jim

 

[Forrest Nearing]

hmm... lemme get this straight... go to sleep, problems fix themselves... hmm...



later guys, I'm going to take a nap!!!



Forrest

 

[Philip]

Good to hear you are on the way home. At least you can fix it at a time your choosing now. I hate being broken down on the road.