Community Forums

Papabearxl · 08-08-2008, 05:43 AM

Hi all. My Minnie just quit on me, and after checking a couple of things, I am perplexed.
The battery ran down after leaving my parking lights on (I updated my taillights to LED units), and jumped it off. Started fine, ran fine. I let it run a while (30 min to charge), and went back and it was dead again. Got to where it would not jump off at all. I took the battery off, checked fluids, was fine, and put on home charger for about a day and a half till it showed charged. Put back on and had enough juice to run the wipers across 3 times, then dead. No li9ghts, radio, no juice at all again. I changed my ground cable and terminal, and changed to hot terminal end (not the whole wire yet), and nothing. I tried a different battery and the same. What would I have blown? There is a link wire off the battery (plugs to each other), but not fusible (no place for a fuse in it). I have checked all the fuses I can find, and nothing. The ground wire went back to a good spot on the block, and I am flustered. Not starting, I could see and look elsewhere, but no juice whatsover from anything. Completely DOA.
I do consider myself mechanical (can build a motor!), but for some reason I am stumped on this one!
Any ideas? Thanks all.

Papabearxl · 08-08-2008, 05:43 AM

Hi all. My Minnie just quit on me, and after checking a couple of things, I am perplexed.
The battery ran down after leaving my parking lights on (I updated my taillights to LED units), and jumped it off. Started fine, ran fine. I let it run a while (30 min to charge), and went back and it was dead again. Got to where it would not jump off at all. I took the battery off, checked fluids, was fine, and put on home charger for about a day and a half till it showed charged. Put back on and had enough juice to run the wipers across 3 times, then dead. No li9ghts, radio, no juice at all again. I changed my ground cable and terminal, and changed to hot terminal end (not the whole wire yet), and nothing. I tried a different battery and the same. What would I have blown? There is a link wire off the battery (plugs to each other), but not fusible (no place for a fuse in it). I have checked all the fuses I can find, and nothing. The ground wire went back to a good spot on the block, and I am flustered. Not starting, I could see and look elsewhere, but no juice whatsover from anything. Completely DOA.
I do consider myself mechanical (can build a motor!), but for some reason I am stumped on this one!
Any ideas? Thanks all.

Hitchhiker · 08-08-2008, 06:48 AM

Are you 100% certain the battery you swapped in is OK? The way you describe the symptoms, your problem has all the earmarks of a bad battery.

Good luck.

Papabearxl · 08-08-2008, 07:08 AM

I did not put a brand new one, but it was pulled off of another running vehicle. I am due for a battery anyway, but thought it must be something else. I am sort of strapped, and can't get a new battery right now, and I guess old winnie will stay in the driveway till then.
I appreciate your time in replying to my post.

RedneckExpress · 08-08-2008, 11:59 AM

Take both batteries over to an autoparts store and have them tested. This'll eliminate or finalize that it is the batteries.

DAN L · 08-08-2008, 10:14 PM

papa... i'll take a shot at this...
the "extra wire from the hot battery terminal," if i read your post correctly is probably what is called a "fuseable link". the wire itself is the fuse. you can jumper it out of the system temporarily, but eventually you should replace it. you can sometimes test it with an ohmmeter with the battery disconnected, but that does not always work as it may still have a strand or 2 in the wire left unburned. same with low amp voltage test. you should be able to get it at auto parts stores.
jump starting from another vehicle or using your vehicle to jump start someone else can easily burn the fuseable link.
my dw jumpstarted someone several years ago and blew the diodes in the alternator as well as the fuseable link. all she told me initially was that the charge light was on. i got the whole story a little bit at a time later.
she won't do that again.

Papabearxl · 08-11-2008, 03:44 AM

I will take that advice, too! I do appreciate the help from you guys......when I am able to work on it again, I will let y'all know how I'm doing. Not much time with the family and work!

Freebie · 08-11-2008, 08:42 AM

I am thinking bad ground. if you know the batteries are good then start looking for frayed and corroded connections. it's possible that there is a bad one some place. I would go have those batteries tested and replaced if needed.

Good luck

tnau · 09-09-2008, 04:36 PM

PapabearXL, if this is still an issue you can check the resistor mounted on the firewall. I've seen that have an impact on several of the electrical circuits.

Terry

Papabearxl · 09-10-2008, 04:32 AM

Are you talking about the voltage regulator? I was working on the rv last week, trying to get the thing figured out, and the regulator had just started leaking out the gel that seals it up. I had experience with older Fords doing this when it went bad. Is that what you are talking about? It's right behind the battery on the firewall.
I appreciate the info.

Eddie Foy · 09-10-2008, 05:18 AM

Jump starting dead batteries in the vehicle should only be done as an emergency measure.

quikduk · 09-10-2008, 02:15 PM

I see you have a 360 and my expertise is from 440's but I believe that they all use the same regulator and ballast resistor as well as ignition module.

Jumping it should not have fried any of these unless they were "on their way out".

1. Have the batteries properly charged and load checked at your local auto parts store or Sears Automotive.

2. You can disconnect the ballast resistor and check the spring on the back and the tightness of the terminals in the ceramic. Make sure you label which wire(s) go to each side and in which order on each side (if a 4-wire resistor)

3. The shop should also be able to check the regulator but that is strictly related to charging.

These parts can be scrounged for pennies or a few dollars at local u-pick auto salvage yards. Just look for 60's-70's era A-body, B-body cars or vans/motorhomes as they are all the same assuming they have 360, 383 or 440 engines in them.

tnau · 09-10-2008, 02:39 PM

No sir, the resistor is about mid-way of the firewall. It's white ceramic.

I've had the 'brain' leak around it as well, but you don't crank the engine when that part goes out.

Terry

wickedrevs 56 · 09-25-2008, 10:05 PM

PAPA BEAR--
One question-- does teh engine turn over??-- and not start??-- or does it not turn over at all??---
this is a big question-- helps to know what you are looking for--