Weird electrical issue

[Doctormario777]

I've got a 1983 ranger project truck that I've really gotten my money out of as far as project trucks go.

I charged the battery about a week ago, cleaned the terminals and tightened up the battery cables, and haven't had any issues until just now. Before I charged the battery and tightened everything up, every once in a while, after hitting a big bump, I would lose electric power (radio, headlights, everything) but it would come back in a second or two. I haven't had that problem in a while, I figured it was just the terminals needed cleaning, but I figured I'd include it just incase it means anything to what happened today.

Anyway, today wend out in town. I shut the truck off in town, it started right back up when I needed it to, then I drove it back towards home but stopped at a gas station close by my house. I bought some beer then came out and my truck wouldn't start. Nothing. No electric power, no radio, no nothing. I tried a few more times, hopped out and jiggled the terminal leads, jiggled the wiring around in the engine compartment, nothing.

I had my buddy bring my batter charger out and I hooked it up and jumped it and it started and then drove home just fine. I got home, shut it off, then waited about 10 seconds and started it again. Worked just fine.

Is there such a thing as a battery that only works every once in a while? It's not like it's weak... I could hook it up to a charger right now and it would probably say it's like 95% charged. Any thoughts?

 

[97RangerXLT]

you have one of them Teetotaler trucks that can't abide alcohol. you shouldn't have bought the beer.

Take a look at all of the grounds, and the ground wires. after that take a look at the ignition switch, it might be worn out.

AJ

 

[RonD]

Check the ground from battery to engine, clean and tighten engine end.
Check red battery cable at the starter solenoid, remove and clean.
Total loss of power is one of those two cables

Yes, a battery can become intermittent internally, turn on your head lights(engine off) and move it(the battery) around, give it a couple of bangs with you hand, see if lights dim or go off.

 

[Doctormario777]

Check the ground from battery to engine, clean and tighten engine end.
Check red battery cable at the starter solenoid, remove and clean.
Total loss of power is one of those two cables

Yes, a battery can become intermittent internally, turn on your head lights(engine off) and move it(the battery) around, give it a couple of bangs with you hand, see if lights dim or go off.

Thanks! I'll give that a shot tomorrow evening.

So will the ground wire to the engine block look like a regular wire?

 

[Doctormario777]

Why would the truck start up with a battery charging unit if the ground or starter cables were bad?

 

[Revhendo]

Why would the truck start up with a battery charging unit if the ground or starter cables were bad?

Old cables, corroded cables, loose connections or dirty/corroded connections can take extra amperage or cause intermittent trouble.

 

[RazorBeam]

Do your headlights dim with RPM?

 

[RonD]

Thanks! I'll give that a shot tomorrow evening.

So will the ground wire to the engine block look like a regular wire?

The ground wire from the battery to the engine block should be the BIG black cable.
The starter motor draws the most battery power, so both BIG cables from the battery are connected to the starter motor.
Big Red cable to the "starter solenoid", then same size cable from solenoid to Starter motor.
Big Black cable to the engine block, starter motor is bolted to engine block.

If your Big Black cable is connected to the Frame, then there needs to be the same size cable from that location to the engine block, but usually it is the other way around, Battery-----Engine block----frame

Yes loose connections cause loss of power, adding a charger increases power, so.........

 

[Haywire6000]

I had the same exact issue with my 93. Except a bump never seemed to bother it. One day though I stopped at a gas station( Must be a ranger thing) filled her up and she wouldn't start. Just clicked, I figured loose battery terminal, check them and they were all fine. So I push my ranger out the the gas station( Gas station is in same parking lost as wally world) and rolled her down the parking lot and gut it bump started. Gauges acted weird though. Got it home and found out that the Negative battery terminal where it bolts to the block rotted off over time. I put a new connector on it and have not had a problem since.
Dumb luck how I found the issue as well, since the brake was hidden under my PS pump.

 

[Lil-Pony]

Lets put it this way, i just got done swaping all of my cables from the starters to all major replacable engine grounds, and now instead of 13.3 v i have a full 14.4 volts. I also had the same issue where my truck wouldnt start some times, but as soon as you hooked another battery to it, it would start right up, also does it the cranking speed sound slow?

 

[Mark_88]

I had this happen to me on the way home one night at highway speed...everything went out all at once...had to coast off the road in pitch black...got out and wiggled the wires, took a pee, and tried again...nothing...

On mine it was the connector just inside the firewall on the drivers side...two of the 10 connectors were loose and the main power feed was holding on by one copper strand...patched those up and all was well...but then I received a complete harness from a member on TRS and eventually replaced the wonky one...

So, again, loose connection somewhere...but look closely at them and try pulling gently on the wires sticking out of the connectors...two of mine actually pulled right out without any resistance...

 

[bmerr98]

Just a thought...are the battery clamps original or the bolt on replacement type? If they are the latter, check the conditions of the cable where it connects to the replacement clamp. Mine have corroded there before and caused an out of the blue no start condition.

 

[RazorBeam]

It been said a bunch, but my issue was similar and the poor ground connection to the block forced the electronics to work off of the alternator.

 

[Doctormario777]

Do your headlights dim with RPM?

No, never had that issue.

 

[Doctormario777]

Lets put it this way, i just got done swaping all of my cables from the starters to all major replacable engine grounds, and now instead of 13.3 v i have a full 14.4 volts. I also had the same issue where my truck wouldnt start some times, but as soon as you hooked another battery to it, it would start right up, also does it the cranking speed sound slow?

I guess it sounds a little slow... having never had another ranger I couldn't say for sure.