2002 Ford Ranger 3.0 v6 electrical problems

[DangerRangerOutlaw]

Ive been having electrical problems for awhile now and can't seem to find info I need on the internet so I could really use someone's input that knows a lot about electrical on trucks. Well the first real issue I had found was about a year ago in the fuse box located on the dash inside the truck. All of the fuses had been burnt but none of the fuses had blown. I done some research and found that a bad ground can cause fuses to burn but not blow is that true? If it is where are all the locations of the grounds? I have another problem as well that just recently started with my battery terminals severely corroding mostly just the negative terminal and a little on the positive side. Ive done research but still didn't find anything useful. What would cause severe corrosion? my terminals are correctly put on there both tight and put on the way they should be and ive also cleaned the corrosion and it was back to the way it was the next day like its so bad its eating my terminal off I think that its the same problem that caused my fuses to burn like their linked together and its mabey just a bad ground causing both issues.. If anyone could help or has any suggestions I'd really appreciate your help I'm a fairly good mechanic ive always fixed my truck on my own never bring it to the shop but electrical is the one thing ive always struggled with but I do have a basic understanding of it just need input from someone that has experienced similar problems. Thankyou

 

[91stranger]

Corrosion is caused by loose connections or a bad battery. I would replace the ends of the battery cables since you say they are eating them from the corrosion. Next I would check the insulation around the cables and make sure there isn't a hot ground somewhere or anywhere on the ground or positive cables that have shorted out anywhere. Seems like you have a power issue from the battery. I would just get a flashlight and rag and clean the wires off and inspect them for defects. Start with that and then check the battery condition at a local parts store, they do this for free. Could have a defective battery that is still able to start a vehicle.

 

[Curious Hound]

All of the fuses had been burnt but none of the fuses had blown.

Not sure what you mean by the fuses being "burnt". Generally, if you have a high current condition on a circuit, it should blow the fuse when the current gets high enough. Often, this happens without the fuse ever showing any discoloration or other outward sign. If you really think it's a problem, replace all the fuses with brand new ones, making sure that each one is the proper size (current rating) for its circuit. Then watch to see if the condition happens again. If you have a ground problem, you should notice other symptoms - lights flickering or not working, battery not charging properly, Possibly gauges not working right, CEL codes, etc. that would point you towards the problem. By all means, check any ground connections you can find. That's never a bad idea.

Regarding the battery, How old is the battery? Is it a reputable brand? It is normal for corrosion to build up on the terminals, especially as the battery gets older and older. You can clean it again. Disconnect the cables. Use a wire brush terminal and clamp cleaner. Then carefully clean with a solution of baking soda and water. Use an old toothbrush or rag and wipe everything down good. Then repeat with clean water. After drying the clamps and terminals, re-connect them and then coat them with battery terminal protector.

After all this, check your battery voltage with engine off and engine running/charging. Engine off, you should have around 12.5 volts depending on the age of the battery. Engine running, you might have around 14.5 for the first few minutes, then dropping closer to 14 or the high 13's. If it stays high all the time, you could be overcharging the battery. Most likely Indication of a bad regulator.

Another thing, and this might just be me. But I do NOT recommend replacement battery cable ends - the ones where you strip the cable and clamp it under the little strap. I have seen many of those fail due to loose connections and corrosion. If there is a lot of corrosion where the cable goes in the back of your clamps, my recommendation is to replace with new cables that have the lead clamps molded on.

 

[pjtoledo]

for battery terminal corrosion the oldest trick in the books is to place a piece of copper next to the terminals, A K A an old penny. has to be one that is pure copper. the copper has a lower whatever and corrodes before the metals in the terminals.
and as you may have deduced this advice, like all internet advice, is worth........2 cents

as stated, clean the terminals, and the entire top of the battery.

a ground is supposed to be a direct path/short circuit back to the battery AFTER the load. a bad ground has resistance, and thus less current will flow. how you have "burnt, not blown" fuses is interesting.

 

[Andy D]

I would be checking the ground path for the firewall. I replaced the existing one on the Rat . It is under a mount screw for the wiper motor. YMMV. There should be a strap jumping a motor mount. Make sure it is clean an tight. good luck.