No start, no lights, no horn ?

[ErickwithnoK]

I have a 76 620 that I need help diagnosing a no start on.

 

The truck started and ran fine until today. I took off the plastic steering column cover to clean, and after reassembly the truck wouldn't start. 

 

I had a charge light, heard a click when I turned the key to start and then there was nothing. I thought maybe the starter was stuck on the flywheel so I bumped it with a hammer. I tried to start it again and this time there wasn't even a charge light, and no sound whatsoever. In addition, no other electronics were working in the truck. No headlights, no brake lights, no horn. 

 

Suspecting the battery I rolled it over to another vehicle and tried to jump start it but it was still unresponsive. After testing the battery it showed 12v, so I went to roll the truck back to where it was. While doing that I accidentally bumped the horn and it surprised me because I thought it was dead, so I thought I should try to start it again.When I put the key to ON I did get a charge light again. So I tried to start it and the same thing happened. There was a click, but it didn't try to start. Then it was back to completely dead with no charge light again. None of the lights or accessories are working either. 

 

Any ideas (or questions?) would be really helpful. I'm awful at electrical stuff...Thanks a lot in advance for the help.

[datzenmike]

Get jumper cables and connect to a known good battery in another car. Then try. If everything is now normal start it up, disconnect the cables and let the battery charge up.

 

If no change check the fusible link. It should be connected to the positive battery terminal or close by. It's about 3" long and has plastic connectors on both ends. Everything going to the vehicle from the battery (except the starter) has to go through it. If it's burned or looks melted it needs to be replaced.

[ErickwithnoK]

I will check the fusible link, can I ask what makes you suspect this if I don't have power to the starter? 

[datzenmike]

Depends what you mean by no power to the starter. There is a positive cable from the battery to the starter. And there is the start signal from the ignition switch to the starter.

 

If the fusible link isn't working, nothing goes to the ignition and no start signal to the starter.

 

If you mean there is no power from the battery to the starter lug then the battery is dead or the battery cable is bad, loose or just not making contact.

[ErickwithnoK]

Makes sense, thanks Mike. 

 

I mean that when I turn the key the starter doesnt react. So I don't know if there is power from the battery to the starter, but I know there isn't power from the ignition switch to the starter. Thanks for clarifying. I will check out the fusible link and post again.

[Doctor510]

If the fusible link has poped, check for an unwanted ground.  Mine did that because the alternator had an unwanted ground.

[ErickwithnoK]

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My fusible link appears to be a yellow wire that is the same size as the wire it's attached to. I thought it was supposed to be a smaller gauge wire so it would burn up before what it's supposed to be protecting burns up. 

 

This one appears to be fine, and it's also crimped on so I can't just unplug it and inspect it, I'd be committing to a replacement by cutting it out. But, it doesn't look damaged to me.

 

I tried to start the truck again, it was completely dead, no gauge lights/charge light or power to the horn. About 5 minutes later I tried again and I had a charge light, and tried to crank it over. I heard the same click as before, and it was back to being completely dead. My dad was listening with the hood open and said the click sounded like it came from the passenger side of the engine bay. Figured I should mention that this is still happening.

[banzai510(hainz)]

clean the battery cables and the fuse box or ohm out the fuses.  I seen cracked cable clamps

 

reseat the connections if you disconnected anything while doing the steering.

 

 

what I do is take a digital volt meter. take the blk red wires and put 1 on the batter post and one on the bat cables   i USE THE POSITIVE POST.. turn key to ON. if its a bad connection youll see a 1 or 2volt or more voltage.  THIS WILL SEE THE CORROSION between the cable and the post.

 

reseat the back of the key ignion connector.

 

with key ON you should have 12volt to the fuse box on cirtain circuts.

 

If one buys a cig lighter volt meter most this can be trouble shot ezer. before this happans in most cases

 

 

My issue is fuse pops then no ignition light.  mine was a bad connection on istrument panel and a bad alternator one time.

 

your comes and goes so I think its a simple issue or reseating

 

 

NO lights meands wire from the starter(fusable link wire) to the fuse box proplem. as lights do not go thru the keyed ignition so you know you have a power FEED proplem already

[ErickwithnoK]

Thanks hainz,

 

I'll clean the battery cables and get back to you. The fuse box I have is cracked in half, I have two more but when I tried to replace it neither of them worked, only the broken one works. My cable clamps are brand new so I know they aren't cracked.

 

I didn't disconnect anything, and I made sure everything was still plugged in good after I started to have issues because I suspected the same thing.

 

I'll use a voltage tester and see if it's corrosion, good idea.

 

I'll also reseat the ign connection.

[ErickwithnoK]

Well I cleaned the terminals but it had no effect, and I was going to test the amps on the battery and it burned up my voltage meter.

 

Probably going to take the battery in and see what they say...i hate this stuff.

[racerx]

Yeh can be tedious but finding what went wrong is like getting a boner.

[datzenmike]

Charge the battery. Or get a boost to get going and let it charge up first or they'll say you need a new one.

 

Then see if there is anything drawing power like the interior light on, or brake light stuck on. I had a vehicle once that the the horn relay was stuck on so the dummy who had it before me pulled the wires off the horns. Relay (on) took all weekend to kill the battery.

[ErickwithnoK]

I tried all of these things, turned out replacing the fuse box fixed the problem.

 

Thanks again for the help.