Yup, was a ground problem. Got new cables and cleaned everything up nice and started up like brand new. Thanks all



Sebastian

1958 F100 292

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."

-Henry Ford

1) My first test would be to assure the inside of the connectors that go to the battery terminals are shiny clean.

2)Next I'd look at the connections on the starter solenoid. Make sure they're clean and tight.

3)Next take a light bulb (I usually use a brake light or dash panel light with wires soldered to the base connections. You can use a socket if you don't like soldering) and connect it across the big terminals on the solenoid. It should light up immediately and then go dark when you try to crank the engine. If it stays lit the solenoid is not making good connection inside...time for a new Solenoid.

4) If the solenoid doesn't activate at all, put your light bulb on the smaller terminals and try the key again. The light bulb should light up when you hit the key demonstrating the key switch supplies power to pull in the solenoid. If it doesn't light up start troubleshooting from the key switch.

5) If the solenoid isn't the problem. (it goes dark when you hit the ign key) Look for poor connections along the heavy wires that go from it to the starter itself.

5) If all those connections are clean and tight. Make sure there is adequate ground to the engine block. I usually use a jumper cable. Attach it to a clean chassis ground point and someplace on the engine block. This assures there is good ground to the engine. Try to start it again. If it starts you have poor ground to engine. If not then I'd look at the starter itself.

6) You can use a pair of jumper cables to eliminate lots of stuff. Connect one end to the Positive side of the battery. Connect the other cable to the big terminal on the starter itself (make sure the car is in neutral) Get out from under the car and connect the two cables together. You are bypassing all the solenoid/wiring stuff when you do this. The starter should roll the engine over. Be careful, I'd wear safety glasses too. The starter draws a bunch of power and you may get some serious sparking when you jam the two cables together. When you do this don't do it tentatively or the sparking will be worse. I jam them together strongly to avoid sparking. I'd wear gloves (The cables are taking the place of the solenoid, and your hands jamming them together are taking place of the ignition switch)



DO NOT put a light wire in series with any heavy connections. It can easily vaporize, going "Bang" in the process and spraying vaporized metal around.



Take off any rings when working with car starter/battery circuits. If they make a connection they can fry your finger.



This whole process takes probably 30 minutes.



Making up a trouble light is easy. Two alligator clips some wire and a light bulb appropriate to the voltage of car you are working with. (6 or 12 volt) I usually use speaker wire or an old extension cord to keep the wires neat. About 6 feet long so you can position the light bulb for easy viewing.

Good luck.

The battery was not the problem, now it is time to chase electrical problems. It didnt do the tach thing this time but when I went to start it it was like the battery went dead instantly. Where do I start now, I will check all the grounds but after that I have no clue. I have all the stuff to check for any electrical but where to start?



Sebastian

1958 F100 292

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."

-Henry Ford

I am thinking it is a bad battery now. going to get a new one and see what happens.

1958 F100 292

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."

-Henry Ford

Check for fully charged battery and clean battery connection

So I flushed the engine over the weekend and today I filled it and was going to run it around to see how it worked but when I went to start it it just wouldnt turn over at all. The lights came on like usual but got a sound like the battery was dead, not enough juice to turn it over. There was no ticking or anything like that so I put a charger on it and waited. When I went to start it again it lite up again but I noticed that the tach (that is connected to the coil) was going crazy, so suspect that it is back feeding someplace. I went and looked and the old battery has some corrosion on the terminal and what looks like moisture around the base of the positive terminal. I know I didnt get it wet at all so is this acid or water from inside the battery? I dont know where to start when it comes to electric problems like this, any ideas? Do I just need a new battery? Can I tell where or why it is back feeding? Any other ideas?

Regards

Sebastian

1958 F100 292

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."

-Henry Ford