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one problem after another


mikeE72

Well-Known Member
V8 Engine Swap
Solid Axle Swap
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
125
Vehicle Year
1988
Transmission
Manual
after a long day of changing an oil pump we had to start it to see if our work was worth while and when i started it we knew it was. the ticking is 99.95% gone and isnt noticable at idle and just barely noticable with the windows open at upwards of 3000 rpm.while in our hast to finish bolth of us forgot to plug in that plug on the distributer and our hearts began to sink when we cranked it and cranked it till the battery began to fade. then i realized the plug (?) wasnt pluged in and it started in secounds. but the short testride revealed that something else was wrong as the check engine light came on at the end of the test ride:nopityA:. when i went to start it again the batery was dead and hardly turned the thing over once. any one have any ideas on what it might be? this was a brand new battery off the shelf never used once before. also will a dead battery cause the check engine light to come on ? next will turninin the engine over with that plug disconected hurt anythin ?and lastly what is that plug called and what does it do ?
 
Last edited:
If by plug you're referring to is the "spout" plug that is removed to set intial timing.

Doubt if leaving it out would cause any issues. it just takes out the EMC so timing advance won't happen.

Or are you referring to the actual plug on the wiring harness to the ignition module on the distributor???

as far as the battery not charging..double check the ground wires to make sure all are reattached. Also check to see if the in-line fuse from battery to the soleniod is OK
 
check your alternator
 
have u tried charging the battery all the way and seeing if the light goes out? Maybe u cranked on the batt for too long and it has no charge left in it..the alt wont recharge it..it just maintains a charge so u will have to charge it will a batt charger.
 
your '88 has a check engine light?

AD

You asked me this same question several months prior.. :)

At least my '88 has a functioning CEL. Maybe there were early year models that didn't?

Pete
 
after a full day of charging the battery i decided to try it again. once again all it did was click and a little smoke came off one of the terminals though im not sure wich one but i think it was the ground then i noticed the ground was hot. so i followed the ground back and found that there was a split in it from rubbing on the frame. then i replaced the ground with one i had from a boat. but there were two wires that were attached to the ground terminal and not wanting to be in worse shape i reconected them to the new ground. one of them lead into a bundle of wires behind the battery and with it disconected i had no warning lights(CEL, low oil pressure.....) the other ran to the body of the truck right in front of the - terminal. the starter cable looked to be in good shape and there was a slight draw on the battery at all times but some times it was stonger than others. even with bolth connected and disconected all it would do is click. i havent had tis truck out once without something breaking.

i reposted this in the electricla section
 

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