Electrical issues

[Ordak]

I just recently changed my Pcv going through the inner fender on the drivers side, now I am getting major electrical issues.

When headlights are off
Speedometer is not working
Fan/blower speed is slowed
Wiper Motor is slowed
Sun pro tach goes and hovers around 8
Right turn signal on dash is slightly lit

When marker lights are on
Everything above
Dash lights and climate control lights are dim
Turn signals on dash are light but dimly

When headlights are on
Driver side headlight is dim
Turn signals do not work
Right turn signal is fully lit
Left is slightly lit
Tach does not work
Dash lights are extremely dim

Please help, thanks

 

[RonD]

Year, model, engine???

Reads like a main ground has been removed or is loose
Main grounds are
Battery to Block
Block to firewall
Block to Frame
Battery to rad support
Rad support to inner-fenders

 

[Ordak]

Oh sorry, it is a 1996 ranger, 2.3L, 2wd XLT

 

[Andy D]

OK, this is generic info.AKA. wild guess. I would suspect the engine to firewall ground. I'm a Ranger noob. Is there a central ground point for Ranger dashes? I'm not messing with stuff until it breaks, so I havent had to do much research.

 

[RonD]

I would remove and clean battery terminal and ground cable.
Then follow each battery ground wire and loosen and clean it's termination.

The 12volt wiring is point to point, so unless there is a short these wires are usually fine.

The grounding system on the other hand relies on metal to metal contact.
Main ground is on the engine block which is isolated from the frame and body by rubber mounts, and the body and frame are assembled after painting and also have rubber mounts, so are not grounded together.
So there are ground straps added between all these metal parts, these straps are often remove to work on something then forgotten, they are needed.

If in doubt add a ground strap, you will be surprised at what a poor ground can show up as, ask ANYONE who has wired a trailer to a vehicle, lol.

 

[Ordak]

I tried adding some grounds with an alligator clips and some wire to all the points and it did not seem to do anything. So it now the same as before, but now the tach work somewhat with no headlights on and the radio is working 100% of the time. To me it seems like there is not enough juice.

Also the odometer is not working

 

[RonD]

What does your voltage meter show at the battery with engine off and then at the battery with engine running.
Engine off 12.5volts
Engine running 13.6volts

That would be expected

With key off, pull a few fuses in the engine fuse box and test voltage, should be battery voltage 12.5v
With key on do the same testing on the cab fuse box.
With meter connected to cab fuse, turn on head lights and see how much voltage drops

I think the '96 Ranger had a GEM(Generic Electronic Module) that controlled most of the lights and instruments.
Not sure if you can test these??