91 ranger wiring issue

[Bracket racer]

Rolled my 91 ranger and now the dash lights work until I turn the heater on. Then the dash lights go out and the high beam indicator comes on as does the blinker light indicators. Turn the heater off and it seems to “reset”, dash lights/headlights all come on and work. Hit the heater, back to no dash lights and the indicator lights are on again.
So, I unhooked the heater coil wires( the coil or resistor in the heater box) same thing, dash lights gone. Plugged it back in and unhooked the motor, same thing.
So now, it won’t “reset” it stays with the “no dash lights and indicators on”

Does anybody know where a body wiring diagram for a 91 ranger is? I looked and can’t find it anywhere.
I’m thinking I have a bad ground but need a diagram so I can figure it out at the table before going out in the -7 to fix.

 

[ericbphoto]

The 88, 89 drawings in our tech section should be close enough. Some wire colors may be different. But the basic circuits should be pretty close to identical. I'll try to remember to give this some time tomorrow. I've already dipped into the moonshine for tonight.

 

[snoranger]

It should have a ground directly from the battery negative to the radiator support, and also one from the back of one of the heads to the firewall.

 

[adsm08]

The 88, 89 drawings in our tech section should be close enough. Some wire colors may be different. But the basic circuits should be pretty close to identical. I'll try to remember to give this some time tomorrow. I've already dipped into the moonshine for tonight.

89 should be the same thing. Having kit-bashed enough gen 2 wiring into gen1 bodies, I would not trust the diagrams for 88 and earlier to be close enough.

 

[Bracket racer]

Thanks for the responses guys, I’ll try to find it in the tech section.

Eric, you make shine? Me too, I’m on homedistiller.org as goinbroke2.
Here’s some pics of what I have left after the holidays.
4gal of 74% whisky
2gal of all grain bourbon
12gal of 42-43% neutral (vodka)

 

[ericbphoto]

Thanks for the responses guys, I’ll try to find it in the tech section.

Eric, you make shine? Me too, I’m on homedistiller.org as goinbroke2.
Here’s some pics of what I have left after the holidays.
4gal of 74% whisky
2gal of all grain bourbon
12gal of 42-43% neutral (vodka)

I don't make it. There is a very nice small distillery just a few miles away. Sugar Tit Distillery. Their equipment looks a bit different from yours.

 

[Bracket racer]

Store bought? Ahh, we have a couple micros around here that sell “moonshine” but it’s just marketing. By definition moonshine has no taxes paid on it so it’s illegal.
Anyway, time to do some research.

 

[Bracket racer]

Well.... everything is grounding through the heater motor. Turn it to high and the dash lights come on and the high beam and right blinker light are bright. Turn it to low or off and the dash lights go out and the others are dim.

I took a booster cable from the negative post to the block(no difference, engine starts fine I knew that wasn’t it). Ran the cable to the cab, the dash, everywhere and no change. I’m thinking I kicked something as my feet pulled out from under the dash when I rolled because my fuse panel is dangling by one bolt.(what the heck was ford thinking with that “pull the lever to drop the fuse box” thing??)
Pulled the right headlight bulb as it was broke and thought it was backfeeding power from low to the high side, putting on the high beam indicator, no change. Tried to pull the bulb from the right front blinker but everything is pushed in too much, I’ll get it out later. Found some cut off wires under the dash but they had tape on most of them so that’s not new.(previous owner)

Anyway, busy today, see if I can find something later.

 

[snoranger]

.(what the heck was ford thinking with that “pull the lever to drop the fuse box” thing??)

I assume it wasn’t “30 years from now someone might roll this thing and kick it.”

 

[Bracket racer]

Holy crap, maybe I’ll just switch cabs.......
Getting it all ripped apart. Found wiring previous owner did(aaahhhh) cut off wires and taped up ends, sigh.

According to the diagram, light blue with red tracer goes from the light switch to the dash lights, gave it 12v and... high beam indicator comes on.( not even in the same circuit) Put power to the black/orange which should be power to the radio, nothing. Radio works if you turn on the key though. (Or the headlights...)

Going to make French fries and soak in the hot tub and sulk... I mean think. Lol.

 

[Bracket racer]

How do you unplug the gauge cluster? I have it loose but can’t pull it out far enough to see where the wires are plugged into it or how to unplug them.

 

[BlackBII]

There's two of these on the back of the cluster. You have to reach your hand back there and pinch the two sides to release them. It's easy once you do it once.

 

[BlackBII]

Hi beam indicator should be grey/white according this one.

I have the evtm manual for 1992, I can look in there for the diagrams

 

[BlackBII]

Looks like Ground 201 may be your issue; it's under the Driver's side kick panel, just below the E-brake pedal

 

[Bracket racer]

Thanks bill, that ground wire was tore off but I twisted it back together and even ran a jumper cable from the negative post to the wire/bolt and nothing.

HOWEVER, I found the blue wire with white tracer on the heater switch was supposed to be a ground. Continuity test, nope. Ran a jumper from the wire to the ign switch and VOILA!!!!!!!
Dash lights worked normal and the radio didn’t come on. Plugged in the heater switch and blower motor worked! YAY!!!!!

Now that I know that black wire on the kick panel is supposed to be it, I’ll look again closer tomorrow.
Now to put it all back together.

Note: mines a 91 and a lot of the wires on the headlight switch were not right, there is no black one for example. Also, before I even noticed the dash light issue, my fuel pump quit due to no ground. It that ground in the kick panel for the fuel pump too???

So one bad ground making everything back feed and find grounds wherever caused;

Right blinker and the high beam indicator lights to be on steady when headlights turned on,

Fuel pump stopped working,

Radio came on with dash lights,

Dash lights and blinker/high beam varied in intensity depending on how high the fan was set,

Fan stopped working and showed no power or ground at the motor plug,


All over a broken ground wire....

I unhooked the battery’s for tonight and will start putting it back together tomorrow.

Thanks everyone!!!!