loss of all electrial in truck

Wiring, lights, heater controls, anything electrical..
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wthatchsr
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loss of all electrial in truck

Post by wthatchsr »

66 D100 Sweptline 318: Last night while riding around, when I put on the headlights I heard a load 'pop' noise (like large fuse going bad) and truck hesitated for split second, then kept right on rolling. Headlights were on and so were dash. 10 minutes later as I pulled into driveway i noticed I did not have lights. After shutting off truck I retried to start. Nothing! ZIP. Nada. SO I checked all fuses and they looked good. Checked the battery and it was good and charged. Cables looked good. replaced starter relay. Nothing. So trying to think logically, what would cause a total electrical failure; no lights with ignition switch energized or not, no power getting to starter. I am trying to find where whole system would be effected. It happened when turning on headlights, but would a bad headlight switch cause whole system shutdown? Starter may be but would that prevent lights from turning on? I am thinking ignition switch but would appreciate hearing from others who own a 'mistress' ( a beauty that takes time and money ).

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Re: loss of all electrial in truck

Post by 712edf »

Ammeter??

Ignition switch shouldn't have anything to do with lights not operating. Headlight switch shouldn't have anything to do with starter not working.

Maybe both are bad or your losing power through the firewall connector.

Bucky
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1975 W600
1978 W200 club cab

Jim100
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Re: loss of all electrial in truck

Post by Jim100 »

When my ballast resistor failed it did so with a pop I could hear but the truck died right there.

wthatchsr
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Re: loss of all electrial in truck

Post by wthatchsr »

Happy Thanksgiving one and all. Hope everyone has been enjoying the holidays.
Quick update on the electrical issue.
I pulled the gauge panel so as to get a better view of the wiring. I looked and looked and found nothing that looked broke or brunt.
Checked the connections thru the firewall and surprisingly they all look good.
I went ahead and replaced the starter relay, ballast, headlight and ignition switch ( these were all the original when I got the truck and I have no idea how long they have been there).

Put battery on charger to make sure it was good and charged. Battery cables are new and attached securely.

turned key........ Still nothing.

I can only think I have a ground issue, but I am too dumb to figure out where it would be that could kill the whole truck.
oh well, tomorrow is another day. Will let it aggravate me tonight and tackle it first thing tomorrow.

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Jims68
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Re: loss of all electrial in truck

Post by Jims68 »

Check your AMP gauge. I had a 70 Challenger that the AMP gauge burned out between the two poles and nothing worked.

Just a thought :2cents
Jim

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MadMC63
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Re: loss of all electrial in truck

Post by MadMC63 »

Most obvious thing about burnt wiring is smell. If something in the cab burnt while you were in it you would have that burnt wiring smell in your nostrils for quite some time. What you described with the lights and no restart sounds exactly like a dead battery. You more than likely have more than one problem. You should probably load test the battery. A battery with a bad cell will will test fine with a volt meter but when you apply a load it will short.
1971 Dodge D100
So what's wrong with setting beneath a single pull string incandescent light bulb writing angry letters?

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Re: loss of all electrial in truck

Post by 712edf »

If it won't crank but otherwise has power, check your neutral safety switch (assuming you have an automatic).

Maybe you have a burnt/broken fusible link & power isn't getting through the firewall.

Bucky
1966 W500
1975 W600
1978 W200 club cab

wthatchsr
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Re: loss of all electrial in truck

Post by wthatchsr »

OK, problem solved.

Seem's the hot wire running from the starter relay had gone bad right at a previous butt connector fix. This connector was wrapped and close to dash.
no smell of burnt wire; but when pulling the wire harness just so the wire touched and we had power. Looks like sometime in the trucks past somebody has redone the wiring about 3 inches from the interior firewall where it passed thru.
I will need to skin the old wrap off and see how bad it and all the other connectors are and then see about fixing.

Guess I will start planning out a new waterproof connector in the engine area, run new wires from the engine area to connector strip, then from connector strip thru the firewall to a new Painless fuse box.

Thanks to all for the advice.

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MadMC63
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Re: loss of all electrial in truck

Post by MadMC63 »

Good catch
1971 Dodge D100
So what's wrong with setting beneath a single pull string incandescent light bulb writing angry letters?

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Jims68
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Re: loss of all electrial in truck

Post by Jims68 »

Glad to hear that!! :salut
Jim

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