Vanning.com logo
Boxdin
Site Navigation


Advertisements
Recent Posts
Good day
by SDMickey - March 27th 2024 10:55 pm
Crazy mods
by frscke1 - March 27th 2024 9:37 pm
Lew Greger
by MufflerMan Mike - March 27th 2024 5:15 pm
1987 G20 Gypsy
by SDMickey - March 25th 2024 9:39 pm
Featured Links


Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Lost Electrical Power
#766630 October 20th 2020 5:57 pm
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 17
C
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
C
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 17
Hey y'all, new to the forum. Just got a 1977 Dodge B100 318 in the past month. Been one issue after the other but overall runs good.

Today when I when I went to crank it I had no power at all on the inside of the vehicle. Battery & alt are brand new, fully charged, but no lights, stereo, ignition switch does nothing. I pulled the panel & there was no power on fuse box under dash, or ignition switch etc. I checked connections under the hood (I have run new power & ground wires from the battery correctly as old ones were scorched & abused). Checked the big box wiring harness connector at top right of firewall near battery & all looked fine. (A power wire had come undone from previous owner's mistakes but I've soldered that back together but originally when I got it that was a bad connection & I'd lose all power inside as well...but thats' been fixed, or at least as for as I could tell). Anyway, all sudden I have juice again & fired right up like nothing happend.

Question: Is there a voltage regulator or anything that would be going bad intermittently on these things or another known issue to consider? After 43 years & multiple owners there's quite a bit of shade tree electrical nonsense been had. I've corrected to most obvious home-wiring issues from when I bought it.

Thanks for any input.


1977 Dodge B100 318 POS
Re: Lost Electrical Power
CowboyVan #766650 October 20th 2020 9:37 pm
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 18,535
Likes: 135
Supreme Master
Offline
Supreme Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 18,535
Likes: 135
I'm not very good with electrical but I would start by looking for a bad ground.
Have you tested the ballast resistor ? I can't remember if that kills all the power or just the ignition power.


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Arianrhod:2003 Chevy Astro
Black Magic: 1985 Dodge B-250
Serenity:1985 Chevy G-20
The Outcast:1983 Ford club wagon
Luna 1974 VW bay window transporter
Freedom:1990 Ford E-150(parts van)
Outcast Vanners van club
Support your local 2%
Re: Lost Electrical Power
CowboyVan #766657 October 20th 2020 10:46 pm
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 194
member
Offline
member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 194
I would look for a bad firewall connection where the main power wire goes through the firewall. My experance. Check the amp gauge if it has one.


Political correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by a CLEAN end.
Re: Lost Electrical Power
CowboyVan #766679 October 21st 2020 5:21 am
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,964
Likes: 63
M
veteran
Offline
veteran
M
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,964
Likes: 63
Fusible Link

Re: Lost Electrical Power
Meanmachine #766680 October 21st 2020 5:28 am
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 21,211
Likes: 25
N
Supreme Master
Offline
Supreme Master
N
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 21,211
Likes: 25
Originally Posted by Meanmachine
Fusible Link

I 2nd that. They can break internally and cause intermittent problems.

Another thing that you may want to consider is to eliminate the #10 AWG wire that runs from the alternator through the bulkhead connector to the ammeter. That's a known weak point as well.

Drill a hole in the firewall, install a grommet, and run a new wire up to the ammeter.


Nate Breece
1 member likes this: CowboyVan
Re: Lost Electrical Power
Meanmachine #766686 October 21st 2020 9:30 am
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 17
C
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
C
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 17
Originally Posted by Meanmachine
Fusible Link

There's actually a wire coming off the firewall bulk connector that says Fusable Link but there's nothing on the other side of the fuse...PO just unhooked the other end of the fuse connector & wire. No idea what that powered but I'm sure it was there for a reason. Ha. Is that what you're referring to?


1977 Dodge B100 318 POS
Re: Lost Electrical Power
doc yukon #766687 October 21st 2020 9:33 am
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 17
C
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
C
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 17
Originally Posted by doc yukon
I would look for a bad firewall connection where the main power wire goes through the firewall. My experance. Check the amp gauge if it has one.

So I've had issue once before losing all power bc a power wire came out of the bulk connector right there at the firewall. I soldered a new wire & it's been fine since but I'm wondering if that connector isn't my issue. It has a shiny sticky goo running down it from PO. Something must've melted some time ago. Not really sure how you go about fixing that bulk connector if that's really the problem. Pull the dash & inspect the wires / connector I guess?


1977 Dodge B100 318 POS
Re: Lost Electrical Power
lukester #766688 October 21st 2020 9:37 am
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 17
C
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
C
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 17
I have not checked the ballast resistor but I will. Thanks for the suggestion.


1977 Dodge B100 318 POS
Re: Lost Electrical Power
CowboyVan #766694 October 21st 2020 12:45 pm
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,964
Likes: 63
M
veteran
Offline
veteran
M
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,964
Likes: 63
The Fusible Link is a thicker gauge red wire that comes off the positive battery terminal and connects into the electrical bulkhead on the firewall. The bulkheads were known to corrode on the inside where you can't see it. I had an electrical shop pull mine apart and clean the terminal connectors many years ago. I had a 74 Dodge that would lose all power when I hit a bump in the road or shut the door. Problem was the Fusible Link had corroded and the wire was partially broken inside the plastic casing. In my experience with the ballast resistor, the motor will still turn over, but not start. When the fusible link was bad, there was no power to anything on the van, as if the battery was totally unhooked.

1 member likes this: CowboyVan
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Astro, Ram4ever 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Donate


Upcoming Events
discovery
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 13 guests, and 5 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
TheDrunkenGunsmith, Jac, LOVclassics, ZenMuffin, Milkman530
12724 Registered Users
Top Posters (30 Days)
SDMickey 130
CatFish 28
frscke1 28
Wedgy 20
Forum Statistics
Forums68
Topics35,747
Posts537,897
Members12,724
Most Online177
May 8th, 2013

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4