Will not start Fuseable link/solenoid/battery?

Went to start the Bronco today to come into work and nothing. Not even a click, noting. Had a meeting and had to be at work on time. Got in to my girl's subaru and maid it just in time. Got to go back to the house for luch and figured I would fix the Bronco instead of eating. Swaped batteries with an other car that I new the battery was not dead. Lights came on and she started for 2-3 seconds then died and I hear a distinct buzz and crackly for the Solenoid/Battery area, maybe even a little smoke (hard to tell hood was down. Now this is really pissing me off. Had to come back to work so the Bronco still sits their, but I need the Bronco for tomarrow.
What parts should I look at replacing? (fuseable link, solenoid, Battery?)
Will I have to replace the wiring asociated with the area in question?

Any help would be really apreciated!!!

I'd start out with a new solenoid.

The soleniod is no problem, replacing. Had to do a few on my old F-150 would go though them ever 6-months.

Is there any difference in the more expensive solenoids compared to the ceaper versions at the parts store (prices vary from 9.00-37.00 online). Should I buy a more expensive one or just save some money.

Going to the parts store right after work. What should I pick up? Solenoid? Voltage Regulator? Fuseable link?

Stop at the house to see what size fuse link I would need and I want ed to know how many are there. I know there is one that is orange and has Fuse Link written on it. But are there others? how manny in total? Here are a few pics of the battery area. The orange one is the one I am for sure about.

I would replace the solenoid and check the starter out and battery cables could be lose or corroided or bad also.

Sometimes, that solenoid plate can freeze into an off position from lack of use. I hadn't started mine in a while and the same thing happened. I took a 10 guage wire and jumpered the solenoid and the contact plate came free. If it's not that, then the soleniod is just bad.

Just jumped the Selonoid. Had to have a friend show me. Well I just wanted him to do it as I am a little skitish around electricity. I have been shocked a few times by 220. Not fun at all. Back on track. The bronco turned over but did not run. And there is current to the positive side of the coil but not across it. So this should be the solenoid, CORRECT? I bought a 20 amp fuseable link and voltage regulator, do I need these?

Voltage regulator has nothing to do with starting.
Buy a voltmeter, and do some troubleshooting instead of trouble guessing.

Something caused your initial battery drain. or you have open or high resistance cables.

BroncoinAlaska said:

Just jumped the Selonoid. Had to have a friend show me. Well I just wanted him to do it as I am a little skitish around electricity. I have been shocked a few times by 220. Not fun at all. Back on track. The bronco turned over but did not run. And there is current to the positive side of the coil but not across it. So this should be the solenoid, CORRECT? I bought a 20 amp fuseable link and voltage regulator, do I need these?

Click to expand...

It definitely sounds like you need to replace the solenoid, then I would test from there to see what is going on. Ransil is very right about the trouble shooting part of this too. You can through tons of money at electrical issues and solve nothing.

Looking at the pictures.
The splice on the is, is a problem waiting to happen, whack off the splice and put a ring terminal on the wire and use a nut to secure it .

How good is the battery cable with the tape around it.

Thanks for the info guys! If it was anything other than electrical, it would be an easy fix. Just trying to get a list of how to approach this problem. So I should?
1) Replcae solenoid
2) Test wiring (battery[+]-solenoid / solenoid-starter)
3) Replace fuseable link
4) Retest???

Just trying to get the Bronco runing again, my girl has not seen my new purchase, she has been away on a business trip. Just want it to be runing when she gets back. I do not want to get a bunch of greif about another bronco that I can't use everyday.

Test everything first.
replace bad parts.

ransil said:

Test everything first.
replace bad parts.

Click to expand...

Can you give me a specific list on what to test for? Or the order of the tests? Or even a link, that can explain the test procedure? Just want to get it right, and attack the situation correctly with as much info as possible.

thanks

to check wires, you can do a voltage-drop test using a multi-meter:

put the red lead on the + batt post(not the clamp) and the black lead on the battery-side stud of the soleniod. it should read 0 volts. then crank the starter(easiest with a helper). if the reading is over 0.5V while cranking, the cable is bad -- replace it. you can do the same from the block to the - batt post to check the ground cable.

1. Batt post plus to batt post neg should be 12 volts +/- make note of exact reading ( battery ref).
2. Battery lug plus to battery lug neg should be same as ( battery ref).
3. repeat #2 but while cranking or attempting to crank motor should be close to ( battery ref).
4. negative batt post , to battery side of solenoid ( battery ref)
5. repeat #4 cranking the motor reading should be close to ( battery ref) .
6. Negative to batt post neg, plus to starter side of solenoid, crank motor, same reading as #5.
7. Negative to batt post neg, plus to starter wire on starter, crank same reading as #6.
8. negative on batt post neg, plus lead on solenoid "s' wire, crank should be close ( battery ref).


try that and get back with the readings.

Ok, I have to apologize and would like to start over. If your friend jumped the solenoid and it ran, he could have did one of two ways. I was thinking he did one thing, but he may have done another. Here is what I would do at this point:

If your friend took a small wire and went from the poisitive side of the battery and then touched the small terminal marked "S", and this caused the truck to try to start. I would then do a voltage drop test on the wire connected to the "S" terminal. (Here is a full explanation of doing voltagedrop tests: http://www.svapowerproducts.com/html/voltage_drop.html ).

What you are looking for is the place or reason why you are not getting power down the "S" line during the crank. Here are the steps I would take:

1.) Voltage meter black lead to battery negative, voltage meter positive to small "S" terminal on solenoid. Have someone turn the key to the start position. The meter should read around 12volts. If it does and the solenoid is not engaging (clicking) then take a small jumper wire from the "I" terminal to a good ground. (Remove the lead from the "I" terminal first.) Repeat the step. If the motor cranks now, replace the wire that goes from the "I" terminal to your coil (I think).

If you do not read 12volts on the "S" terminal when the key is in the on position, start following the line back. Check it at the firewall, if no power there, then go to the neutral safety switch. If not there go to the key, etc. Keep going back until you find 12volts with the key in the start position. Once you find it, the last thing you went over is likely the place where your issue is. i.e. if you find 12volts at the firewall, then the line between the firewall and the "S" terminal is bad.

2.) If you have 12volts on the "S" terminal and adding the ground lead to the "I" (for testing only) doesnt help, and the solenoid does not click at all, then the solenoid is defective and needs to be replaced. Actually at this point since you have wiring issues related to the solenoid, I would be replacing it anyway.

If you have any questions, my number is 1-888-214-7774. Raymond

Update
Replaced the selonoid and the fuse link. I also cleaned all the battery connections and replaced the extra negative ground that runs from the negative terminal to the ground on the solenoid. This fixed the electrical problem, but the Bronco just turns over and I am not getting any fuel to the carberator. Pumped the acelerator once to set the choke, like I always do and it just turns over but will not run. Tried it a few times and it did not flud. No gas smell was presant, either.
What could be causing this issue?

Did you try priming it with some starter fluid? Got gas? ;D How long has it been sitting since the last time it ran?

I did not prime it with starter fluid! What kind of starter fuid should I use? I have to admit that I have helped with a lot of body replacemnat and rust repair on my cousins Bronco but this is the first one I have owned and I am find out all the little quarks of owning a Early Bronco.

I has been sitting only four days. But it ran great befor, just one pump of the gas and a short turn of the key and it would fire right up.