1983 d150 2wd 318ci standard trans.

Truck doesn't like the cold at all in general because it has headers on it. it didnt really want to start after work today because of the cold. Even tho i had it plugged in with a block heater, and also electric battery warmer, and also a regular blanket over the motor. I did get it started tho. Drove 5 minute ride home.

Plugged it all back in at home. Spent about 2 hours at home. Went out and re-started it, let it idle for bout 10minutes. Then when I began driving I could tell the headlights dimmed and then came back. Got about half a block away and turned the corner and same headlight thing, then the truck just died. Went to re-start it and absolutely nothing happened. No clicks or attempts to turn over. Absolutely nothing happens. No lights turn on either, not even interior lights or radio.

What has happened? How could the battery just die or be dead like that? I looked at battery cable connections and they seem good , but I cant check the last one that goes to the back (firewall) area. What does that plug into?

What could have happened????

The only time I've been in a car where it just totally died was when a timing belt broke in a jap car. Could the timing chain have broke in this truck?

 

Bad battery and\or bad voltage regulator. Get it started and take it to your local auto parts store and they can check your charging system for you unless you have a DVOM and check to see if it is charging.

 

wow... weird how just EVERYTHING quit....

 

Is it coming straight off the battery? What color and gauge is it? I'm guessing it is the one for the hazards. (It should be pink about 14 gauge)

Dave

 

Also Just try hooking battery cables from another battery to it and see if the lights will at least come on.

Dave

 

Its the one that isd connected to the positive battery terminal. The negative battery cable goes to the front of the motor just like 1 or 1.5 feet from battery. The positive battery cable goes along fender, then along firewall, and then down to a dark hole that I cant see where it connects to something. Could it have come loose down there?

 

fuse block under dash and to starter are where the positive cable go

 

I went out today and tried to start it again. It would not start, BUT the radio did turn on and the interior lights worked, and the gas gauge went up when I turned the ignition to ready position. Oh, and also it did turn over now, but just didnt fire up.

So i don't know what happened to cause this. Might have almost been just a weird fluke moment as I was driving, like bad change of gears at the moment I was turning causing the truck to stall, and then combined with a weak battery or something.

It is now acting like it normally would after sitting in the cold all night without being plugged in. Keep in mind its very cold right now where I live (minus 30 Celsius), and the truck has no heat riser because it has headers etc.

So I took the battery out and walked home with it and put it in the house. I plugged the electric battery warmer into the wall too. So I will go try again once the battery is all warmed up. I also cleaned up the battery posts of that residue that gets on them. That alone maybe is what caused the problem.

I will keep people posted on what happens. Who knows, the info might help someone out in the future.

 

There four fusible links with differernt purpose's that are powered buy one wire coming off the battery. They are located before the fuse block in the harness on the inner fender on the driver side.
If i remember right one of the links is for wire that runs to the alternator.
There's also the wire i discribed above for the hazards coming off the battery with it's own fusible link.

Dave

 

A poor connection at the battery posts (due to corrosion or marginally loose connections) coupled with a discharged battery (and the severe cold) could easily cause the problem you described.

Keeping the posts clean and the clamps tight is a good idea. Coating the connection after everything is tightened down with white lithium or dielectric grease helps keep corrosion at bay, too.