Jack Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Wise people of HMVF - I have a problem............. The GMC has no electrical power at all......everything is dead. I left Bovy this afternoon and as always it started on the first turn. I went to the office to unload all of the show gear. I left it running for ten minutes to safe guard the life span of the manifold (thanks Degsy), I then turn it off. When I went to leave, I hit the pedal it went sort of 'click' and that was it.........no more power anywhere - no power to the lights, horn or anything. I have look at the battery and stack loads of power............. Any thoughts anyone as it is currently outside my office creating a semi roadblock:sweat::sweat::sweat: Paul - when you come by tomorrow - my office is the one with the GMC parked outside it:cry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Is this a case of the dreaded Jimmy 'thermal cut-out' cutting out? Usually goes off with a bang and stays off until it cools and resets itself. If by this time you have not found the cause of the short, you're stuffed until it happens again :-D . Under the dash, the big thing behind the light switch. Perhaps on this occasion it didn't reset itself?? That is as good a place as any to start prodding a meter about, alternatively use the plug-in diagnostics tool called "Kewelde", I think it is compatible with some US kit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Check all feed and earth connections starting at the battery and working your way through the starter, engine to chassis earth and starter switch connections. I don't know how you've wired the alternator and 12 volt conversion so check that wiring. If it all appears ok, send for Kev, on second thoughts send for Kev anyway:idea::-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 alternatively use the plug-in diagnostics tool called "Kewelde", I think it is compatible with some US kit? Tony, I was holding back so some of you Yank truck owners had a go. :-D Not sure really, about thermal cut out, because the starter feed is direct from battery, so think it dies not go through the cut out. It depends what Jack calls, a "click" when operating the starter switch :???. Just wonder if it is a broken or loose main battery lead, either the live or earth one. Richard, aka "Kewelde" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 Tony, I was holding back so some of you Yank truck owners had a go. :-D Not sure really, about thermal cut out, because the starter feed is direct from battery, so think it dies not go through the cut out. It depends what Jack calls, a "click" when operating the starter switch :???. Just wonder if it is a broken or loose main battery lead, either the live or earth one. Richard, aka "Kewelde" This is also more of a public service act really so that we can keep Richard up to speed with the yank gear........:coffee: Richards is right as the feed goes straight to the starter. It just went click just as it would if the leads were loose - as Route to Victory demostrated. It is as if you have disconnected the battery as it has no power to anything at all - even the ignition light (12v) doesn't glow :???:??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 That is as good a place as any to start prodding a meter about, alternatively use the plug-in diagnostics tool called "Kewelde", I think it is compatible with some US kit? That is too funny!:rofl: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 It is as if you have disconnected the battery as it has no power to anything at all - even the ignition light (12v) doesn't glow :???:??? These Yank motors have pretty basic electrics :-D, so I am thinking that as the live battery lead, usually goes straight to the starter switch, all other feeds often come from that terminal on the switch, it might be that a connection has broken here. Assume starter did not turn over, but as you had a "click" there must have been some power there, but not any to other circuits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 That is too funny!:rofl: My Invoice for diagnostic fee is in the post, Mr Beckett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Oy!:nono: I told him first,that makes your invoice null and void, in any case he won't be able to pay after spending all his money on ice creams etc at Bovy:-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Oy!:nono: I told him first,that makes your invoice null and void, Sorry Degsy, did not read your post. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Sorry Degsy, did not read your post. :confused: No problem, since we both came to the same conclusion I hope we're right or thats any street cred we may have had straight out of the window:sweat: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 (edited) Try tigtening and a quick clean on the connections on the starter motor, the other thing is try tigtening the connections on the stater switch., assuming you don't use a key. The reason (in case some smart ass is about to ask a stupid question) is that the only time the Dodge has ever let me down was a loose connection on the starter switch, and the Range Rover developed a habit with the starter motor. The other obvious , perhaps to obvious is that the battery has blown a cell, it may show OK at no load but try under load. If it a sealed battery , it is a problem they have. Edited June 30, 2008 by Tony B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Check the connectors on the battery, mine were a bit loose and then suddenly a loud click and no more power. A bit of sandpaper and tightening the connectors solved it for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 OK chaps - will work my way through it - I have my volt meter with me, not sure what to stick where :sweat: The battery leads are fine and tight and the battery is 2 months old........ Onwards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Bad earth return? Duff starter switch? - Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Jack just do what Richard and I told you last night, if that doesn't cure it then we'll have to start looking a bit deeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 99% of the times I've had this has either been loose or dirty , battery contacts or starter motor. DON'T make the mistake of thinking that because the look and feel OK they are. Take off and clean with emery till you can see your face. Including earth. Funny stuff electrickery. Have you got the alternator on it? Take a reading of the alternator output, should be no more than 13.6 or at most 13.7. Anymore can cook a battery very quickly. Sucking eggs yes but all to easy to get complicated first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowtracdave Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 As Tony says - just because they look ok they still might not be - I had a prob with my pick up a couple of years ago - pulled up in the merchants yard to collect some materials at knocking off time and the truck just died no electricity at all - ended up being towed home in the rush hour . Went - as I thought - through everything and it just wouldn't come back to life so eventually had to give in and called out the auto electrical expert who within about 30 seconds diagnosed a bad connection on the battery - which I'd checked and which looked fine . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Cubed Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Sorry to here that you have probs again, is this a continuation of the rear light problem, might need to work through all the wiring connections and ensure all is well. For this problem start from the battery, get voltmeter connect -ve lead via a long good piece of wire ( to allow you to work in engine bay with the meter in your hand ) to -ve on battery, then with the other +ve lead work away from the battery, so next would be the connection on the starter switch, then the ignition switch incoming side ( switch on the ingition switch ) check the outgiong side then on to the HT coil and so on some of this to check if battery is good depress starter pedal and measure volts if drops below about 8 volts you have a duff battery, assuming all connections are good and tight/clean. Use Vaseline on the battery connections and also -ve chassis connections, clean off paint clean wiring end apply Vaseline and then do up tight no more problems with that connection. I have done this for years on cars and my truck and have never had any wiring issues. All the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Try taking the open cab off and put on a closed one, that might do it :n00b: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Try taking the open cab off and put on a closed one, that might do it :n00b: You'll have somewhere to shelter out of the rain when it stops again. :cool2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest catweazle (Banned Member) Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Try taking the open cab off and put on a closed one, that might do it :n00b: Well cast me adrift in an open neck shirt,sounds like a good idea.:-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 But! Is it going again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 Ok this is where we are at: Just put the volt meter on the battery with the leads on and it is registering 1.1v take the live lead off and the battery is giving out 8.9v put the lead back on and place meter on the live lead into the starting motor - it registers 1.1v undo the nut and take the live off the starting motor and it registers 8.9v again.......... So do I have a leak somewhere :???:???:???:??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 Ok update: I disconnected all of the feeds coming from the starting motor put the main feed from the battery back on and the volts are over 10 put each seperate connection back on one at a time and took measurements each time when I put the loom feed back on it drops down to less than 1.9v diconnect the loom feed and it goes back up to 10+v So would it be right in saying that the loom is where the problem is??? If so then it leads on these questions... why does the starting motor not turn even though I have taken the loom feed off? is it time to replace the loom? why would the loom be dragging current out of the system?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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