Gremlins...

[American1990]

Ok, any help or advice is appreciated....

Problem: 4.0 swap 99% finished... That 1% that holding me up is just electrical. Ok, here the deal. My truck Runs great, but when I turn my headlights on, and only my headlight, sh** hits the fan... my RPM gauge stops working, both my blinkers cut on and stay on (they do not flash they stay on constantly till cut off my the headlights) I can still use my blinkers normally, I dot have running lights for my tail lights...but I think that could be something else. Also the High beam indicator cuts on when the head lights are cut on, but my high beams are not on. So, bad ground?

More info: Donor truck 1992 2wd Ford ranger 4.0, receiving truck 1989 4x4 ranger (used FM146 tranny). used everything tail light harness, engine harness, computer, ect...everything except the dash.

Come on guys! lets trough out some ideas! (Please! haha)

 

[--weezl--]

i say you've got a short somewhere... you're going to hate me for this, but what i would do is pull the dash, and follow your wires from the headlight switch... see if you can find a short or anything like that, if that doesn't work, start at the headlights and work your way back...

make sure you do this outside, in broad daylight... if you don't you're in for a world of hurt... because as soon as you pop that pannel off, if the gremlin is in there, he's going to try to attack you, and one of the only ways to kill them is sunlight

 

[American1990]

ahhh..........super sucks.... and I do think your right on the short.... some of these symptoms... like the RPM gauge not working...starting today after...messing with some wires behind the radio and the head light area... ****ing gremlins.... What gives them the right to live in my truck without paying rent? P.S. i have gone through a few threads for the dash, none to Picture friendly or highly detailed on removing the dash... do you know of any good detailed ones?

 

[--weezl--]

I don't... When I remove interior pieces,remove all screws and bolts you can find, then pull on stuff, feel where it's fastened, if it comes off great, if not look for more bolts and screws


Sent from somewhere naughty!

 

[American1990]

Hmm... by short do you mean like wire shorting out on metal or? Kinda new to electrical...

 

[--weezl--]

In short (pun not intended) a short is anytime electricity finds a shorter path to "ground" than it's intended path. So yes it could be shorting to a chassis ground, which is very common, though in this circumstance, I see it more likely that it is shorting out to the gauges...


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[American1990]

Okk, that did help but i have another question now... what do you mean if it shorting out the gauges? Im slightly confused, if it was wire on fram... the gauges would not work right? Or bad ground?.... lol sorry... for all the questions.

 

[--weezl--]

If something were to short out to a chassis ground, then it would have no effect on your gauges, however, if it shorts out in the dash, to a wire that has something to do with the gauges, it can screw with everything


Sent from somewhere naughty!

 

[American1990]

Ok, so i should look for damaged wire? Two wires toching one another?

 

[--weezl--]

that's what i think it is yes

 

[American1990]

Ok, i thought these symptoms came from me messing around the dash area for the radio... but i forgot i took off my electric shift transfer bix for my transfer case... when i put that back on the symptoms went away... the ground for the transfer case ( brown wire) fixed the issue i think... but the tail running lights dont work still... does this mean the short some where in the back? And it grounding out before the transfer case ground now?

 

[--weezl--]

I think they are separate issues, the tail lights can be checked easily with a multimeter, if you have a short in that system, chances are you will also have a blown fuse

Read impedance (ohms setting) to ground for a good ground connection, then vdc for supply , with the switch on


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