Truck Electrical Issues, Mustang Starting issues

[Tgriffin91 27]

Hey all,

 

I have a non-mustang related question. Recently, as it has been getting colder, my 84 F150 Ford truck is having some electrical issues. The inside gauges (minus the volt gauge) do not work, nor does the radio or turn signal indicators inside.

Once it warms up everything works as it should and I did not have any problems over the summer. The truck has an inline 6 motor and no A/C in it if that helps.

The truck starts just fine on cold mornings. Only thing I could think of was if my alternator wasn't putting out enough, but then the battery should be dead. Any ideas why this would be happening?

 

Now for the mustang issues. I got my dash harness back in and tried starting the car and it will fire once but will not idle. If I stomp the gas repeatedly it will fire each time and then die. It ran before removing the harness. I have checked air and fuel but have yet to check the spark plugs (Next on the list). After spark plugs I'm thinking maybe something changed with timing? Any ideas?

 

Thanks!

 

-Thomas

Edited November 25, 2014 by Tgriffin91

[det0326 179]

does it seem to die at the exact moment the ignition switch goes back to the run position?

Dave

[Tgriffin91 27]

That could be. I haven't really noticed that but that could be. I usually stop trying to start after it fires. I did try holding it once though and it still tried to crank over but never did.

[det0326 179]

That could be. I haven't really noticed that but that could be. I usually stop trying to start after it fires. I did try holding it once though and it still tried to crank over but never did.

 

Hello again

 

It may not be your ignition run circuit but to test remove the wire from the positive side of the coil and turn the ignition switch to run position and check voltage from ground to the wire you removed from the coil. With no load on the circuit you should see about 12 volts. If no voltage present it could be the resistor wire on the non tach cars and possible a problem with the tach on factory tach cars depending on which you may have. What kind of truck do you have?

 

Dave

[Tgriffin91 27]

Ah the coil good call. Ok I'll try that test when I get home. Thanks for the help by the way. Any one else know what might be the issue? Could I have hooked something up in the harness wrong causing this? Just asking because there was only 1 wire I was unsure of. It went somewhere back to the transmission and 2 plugs on the harness it fit into.

 

The truck is an 84 F150. Has the inline 6 4-speed granny in it. Single cab long bed and 4x4. I like it so far. Good for camping and should be nice for getting through snow this winter.

[det0326 179]

Ah the coil good call. Ok I'll try that test when I get home. Thanks for the help by the way. Any one else know what might be the issue? Could I have hooked something up in the harness wrong causing this? Just asking because there was only 1 wire I was unsure of. It went somewhere back to the transmission and 2 plugs on the harness it fit into.

 

The truck is an 84 F150. Has the inline 6 4-speed granny in it. Single cab long bed and 4x4. I like it so far. Good for camping and should be nice for getting through snow this winter.

 

Do you have factory harness or aftermarket? I was thinking more of the ignition run circuit than the coil it self if it cut off qhen you let the switch go back to the run position.

Edited November 25, 2014 by det0326

[Tgriffin91 27]

It is the factory harness. Refurbished at Midlife. I'll get out my meter and do some checking.

[Midlife 814]

For your truck: I'd suspect a bad ground. When things start to heat up, the ground will now make better contacts.

 

For your Mustang: it doesn't sound like wiring to me if the engine will at least catch fire and then die shortly thereafter. Which wire were you unsure of? The four prong hooded plug coming out of the firewall contains the neutral safety switch/backup lights plug, and must either be jumpered (manual transmission) or connected to the NSS switch on the transmission to allow the starter to engage.

 

Are you sure you have the red/blue wire on the more forward post on the starter solenoid and the brown or red/green wire on the more rearward post?

[Tgriffin91 27]

My car has an automatic transmission (unfortunately) and there were two green wires that the plug fit into on the harness. The starter does engage though, and I did not suspect electrical either. I will check the starter solenoid later but I believe it is correct.

 

Thanks for the advice on the truck. You are probably right on on that one, don't know why I didn't think of that.

[det0326 179]

Tgriffin91

 

I had an 84 F150 that had a similar problem I can't remember exactly what did or did not work in the instrument cluster but I know some of the gauges did not work at times and it turned out to be the ignition switch. It never seem to be temperature related though but on mine I found that when the instruments weren't working I could jiggle the key a little and they would come on. might be worth a try.

 

Dave