Mazda B3000 Electrical Issues

[txgocartB3000]

My son has been using my B3000 and it has developed a problem with leaving him stranded.

Power seems to come and go as it pleases but it only goes away after stopping and attempting to restart. Time is not a a dependent factor.

I initially figured it was something getting hot, cooling off, then working again.

I lose all power as in no lights, no horn, no starter, no nada.

Wiggling wires and relays seems to have no effect but I think it has to be a loose connection somewhere.

Problem only occurs at random and is not consistent.

What I plan on doing is to wait until it happens again and begin my quest.

I will use a set of jumper cables and attach 1 from battery to engine, see if I have power.

If no luck the I will take the other cable and jump the engine to frame and then attempt again to verify power is available.

If 1 of the legs in my ground side is missing or loose this should give me and indication. Right?

If not then I can proceed in checking positive power side.

Am I thinking along the right lines or is there another approach I should take?

TIA

Ray

 

[adsm08]

You seem to have a good handle on how the system works. Your method for diagnosis isn't how I would start though. Next time it happens bust out the meter and start looking at where you have power. First check between the battery terminals. Then between the negative and the fuse box end of the positive cable. Then at the fuses.

Also, try cleaning your battery cables and terminals. I have a recurring issue with my truck where once every few months it does that. I clean the cables and I am good for a while. In my case though, the problem is caused by acid-contaminated metal on the cable ends.

 

[txgocartB3000]

Thanks for the reply.

Still looking for my meter so decided to use what I had in hand for sure.

I do like your method better so if I locate my meter in time that will be what will occur.

Ray


EDIT: terminals and battery posts cleaned

 

[adsm08]

If you have some spare wire and a head light bulb that works well too. You can load test almost every circuit on the vehicle with that because the starter is about the only thing that will draw more current than the head lights.

 

[txgocartB3000]

Well tried to make it go into fault condition and of course it would not.

Doing a visual inspection and wiggle test on anything I could grab was also unsuccessful.

Started looking at the connections on the positive side of main feed into the fuse box for power distribution and noticed a fuse/suppressor inline right next/attached to distribution box.

Have other things still hanging so had to break off from this and will continue this weekend on this.

If it does fault will try to test for voltage on both sides to see if passing thru.

If it does not fault I will need to borrow the wife's hair blow dryer and try to get it hot to cause it to fault.

Anyone know the name of this component? Looks like an IC chip between 2 terminal posts that the cables bolt on to.

Ray

 

[adsm08]

It's probably an in-line 75 amp fuse.

 

[txgocartB3000]

Thanks, ADSM08.

Can that fuse be an intermittent open?

I always figured fuses were either short or open with no in between.

Ray

 

[txgocartB3000]

As expected this truck has performed well without a problem.

Hope it does not decide to come back at a bad time.

Ray

 

[txgocartB3000]

Well I found my meter and waiting for it to go into a fault condition but the truck refuses to cooperate.

Running like a champ but I do not feel comfortable not knowing what caused the problem that went away.

Ray

 

[txgocartB3000]

Well, shes at it again.

Truck would not start this morning when I went to move the truck so wife could get out of the driveway.

I was late to work so I did the wiggling wire routine and got it going.

Now it will not duplicate again. Starts every time as it's suppose to.

Would rather put OEM Ford/Mazda battery/power cables on since I will throw money at it and not try to find the faulty one.

I just don't have the time or energy (recent knee operation) and they are the originals.

Could someone possibly have the positive and negative cable part numbers available?

This would save me some time and I could just order them and not have to worry about it for a while.

Not the best way to fix something but fastest for me at this time.

Ray