Need help

[mht95ranger]

Hello all, hope someone can help me. My 95 has no power to the cab, or power distribution block. Long story short,started truck on Sunday with remote start all fine,
ran to store, shut truck off
come out truck only clicks
jump solenoid truck starts.
take truck to my dad's to look at it as I'm pulling into the garage the gauges lose power,radio goes out and headlights go dim. I shut the truck off and it will not start at all. I get no dome light no chime nothing.
As of today I have searched this site and many more and on readings I have had the starter, alternator and battery checked. Battery was toast. Also replaced the positive battery cable( ford piece),starter solenoid and battery.
When the key is in the on position shouldn't I have power to the power distribution block under the hood? All the fuses in the block are ok.
Thanks for looking and trying to read my little story.

 

[pontiac_fiero_g]

try honking the horn or using the lighter to rule out the ignition switch not recognizing the key. other than that it sounds like the fuseable link but it sounds like you ruled that out.

 

[gwaii]

check the ground cable,as well as the cab-to-chassis ground.

 

[snake]

Check that ground cable and connections, it acts like it is starving for power.

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, Pontiac is thinking above the level of your issue. You have always "hot" accessories (like the dome light) that aren't working. This isn't a key or switch issue. This is an availability of power issue. Namely, you have no available power.

Check your grounds. Then get a test light and follow the power. Hook the light to the battery ground terminal and poke it at things until the light stops lighting up.

If you get power where the battery cable comes into the junction box, but not at any of the fuses, then your junction box may be shot.

 

[mht95ranger]

Ok here is an update, I was tracing the power to the junction box with a test light and I have no power anywhere. Battery to solenoid I have power. Solenoid to smart junction nothing. Now I was thinking and there is a wire from the sjb to the solenoid and one from the alternator to the solenoid. I put the one from the sjb to the side of the solenoid that has battery power and the one to the alt to the other side and I now have power to the sjb and cab and truck starts BUT the starter stays running all the time and something is draining the battery.... I am closer than I was yest but still not sure if or what is messed up....Can someone tell me how the solenoid is supposed to be hooked up with the wires??
Thanks

 

[mht95ranger]

Ok ,update after I replaced the battery, starter, positive cable and the solenoid I have the truck running. Now I just wish I knew what fixed the problem? As some of you mentioned I checked all the grounds and found some to be pretty nasty. So all I can say is Thanks for the input and thanks for this site!!
David

 

[adsm08]

Well, if you had no power at the solenoid, then either the battery or the cable was the culprit.