[align=right]Post #2[/size]3[/align]Okay after looking everywhere no better place than the web to get help. I have a 1985 150 5.2L automatic with around 150k miles. This truck has me stumped. Previous owner parked it due to it not wanting to start all the time. Here is what i got. If the dome light comes on the truck will start. If it comes on and you turn the keys and the dome light goes out it won't start. I put a new battery in it today and it cranks. The headlights don't come on and the dome light has a little glow. I also was told some times you can rock the truck and it will cause the dome light to come on and it will start. Any clues anyone? This truck has been sitting for over a year but cranked as soon as I turned the key.

The previous owner had 3 mechanics look at it and none of them could figure it out.

Where should I start? I'm at a loss.... I have had suggestions the bulkhead connector and heard about lots of ballast resistor problems.[/align]

 

I would check your bulkhead connector as well as your ignition switch, headlight switch, and the wires in your steering column. All of those can have main power wires going through them depending on the year/make/model. I haven't done enough work electrically on my Dodge to know the exact setup. The other thing I'd do is check every ground wire on the truck. Don't just look at them...take them off, clean the ends, ohm the wire, and put back on with new star toothed washers. The engine should be grounded to the frame and body, the battery to the engine and body, the cab to the frame, etc. While you are at it, make sure the bed is grounded to the frame good for tail light operation.

Derek

 

Okay after having to go buy another test light and multimeter which i didn't use the multimeter. I have power to the coil several wires to the big black thing mounted on the fire wall on the top left as ur facing the truck. I have power to all 3 pins on the headlights switch on or off dosen't matter. Same with the coil I unplugged the harness to the steering column and still had power there.

Now places I don't have power. The fuse block under the dash. It still cranks over but has no spark that i could see. And the fuseable links are all good on the fenderwell on the driver side

 

The reason you have power at the lights (but still not lighting, correct?) is the ground is provided through the switch, you in essence have only checked half of the circuit. Of course, if you only checked it with a test light, you could still have low voltage (enough to light the test lamp, but not the big headlights). I'd always recommend using a MM.

My first impression is a bad grounding point. I'd lean that way more because systems unrelated to starting are your indicator (the dome light). That proves either power is low, or a bad ground. To verify the ground, use the ohm setting of the MM and see how much resistance you have through the grounding point. You really should have a good schematic, do you have one? Also if you are not familiar with the proper use of a MM, you should ask a friend to teach you hands on.

 

Okay guys spent 4 hours before work poking and proding. Here is what I now have. I had power to the fuse block all along. What I do have is a short to ground. You can hook the light to the ground on the battery and touch ground anywhere on the truck and it lights up. I found one of the problems and it was the first black wire out of the junction for the fuseable links. Runs to the fuse block for all the lights FOund the tail light wires bare and grounding out.
Now The second wire that I cut and the light went out was the orange and black stripe wire that runs into the bulk head third or fourth from the top on the far left side if your facing the truck. It goes into the dash around the headlight switch area. Didn't have time to pull it all out and look. Any guess what the problem could be or where that wire goes?