Hello,

My dashlights went out the other night, this morning I found out I needed to replace the headlight switch and the wire connector because it was melted. I replaced, re wired matching color to color.

After finishing up, I go to turn my truck on and it struggles bad. It will not start like it used to, when I finally get it to start it idles rough and putters and shakes. It sounds like half the engine is not working. *NOTE* My truck ran fine an hour before I did the repair on the headlight switch and the wire connector. I can smell gas, and I have not touched it since.

My battery terminal connectors are highly damaged from the previous owner. I am thinking that this may be the reason? Maybe when I disconnected the negative it finally broke? I am not sure. From what I can remember, my voltage gauge on the dash always read 14, currently its at 12. It is a new battery, I even brought it to advance auto and they checked it, it was perfect.

Does anyone have a clue about what the hell I broke? I was not expecting this at all!

 

Terminals look fine. In fact they are way bigger than mine. Mine has thin strap style cable ends. Yours are thick glad hand style. I would check all your connections and grounds. Only battery I use is die hard.

 

Wiring changed from 97 to 98. I know that you said "color for color" but were there any oddballs? Did you get a switch for your "95?"


It really doesn't sound like your switch though. I'd double-triple check battery connections and grounds under the battery tray

 

YES, the last wire i connected was pink and blue from the dash, however on the new connector it was yellow. It is in the exact same spot as the pink and blue on the old connector though.

 

UPDATE: I started truck, it idled very rough had low voltage reading, as soon as I pressed the gas a puff of black smoke came out and the voltage reading went back up to normal levels and it ran fine.

 

sounds like the wiring melted for a reason. i would start looking for a short. start with anything the previous owner did, anything that doesn't look stock. feel around with the key on, but the engine off and keep a fire extinguisher handy. find the hot spots and figure out whats wrong.

 

The battery charge was low, but after that initial start I have not had anymore issues. It starts right up without any issue. With the truck off, the battery stays at 12.65 volts. When I was having the issues it was at 12.35. After I got it started normal, I drove it around for 45 minutes and the charge has not dropped anymore.

The reason I had to replace the connector and the switch its self in the first place was because it was melted. I will watch it for the next few days but looking good so far.