Bronco wont Turn over!

[PTG in MN]

Hi Guys,

I'm new to early bronco's and a new member to this site.

I'm wondering if you guys can help me out. I was plowing snow with my 1968 bronco just now and I stalled it (manual tranny).

When I tuned the key, it would not crank! Keep in mind a couple things:
--wiring is not the greatest on this thing. I've been reading up on brake light/turn signal issues and installed an new headlight switch this evening.
--a couple times when I turned the key the radio and fan didn't work either, and other times I turned the key they did work, but either way it would not crank.
--When I turn the key, the starter makes a "tired" sound, nit a strong click.

Can you guys point me int he right trouble shooting direction. I got a foot of snow to get back to. Bummer is it's night time, cold, and blowing snow like crazy, and the Bronco is sitting out side.

Any help would really be appreciated.

Also, please note I'm semi mechanical and new to the Bronco so any "dummed down" ways to explain things would be great.

 

[DirtDonk]

Well, I'd say welcome to CB PTG, but you've got more pressing things to think about right now!
Unfortunately (because it means going back out there), I'd say start with the basics and check your battery and the main battery cables first. Batteries tend to die when it's coldest. Even if it felt good up to this point, it might just be on it's way out. Can you swap in a known good one temporarily?
Also clean and tighten the cables and terminals.

It could be your starter relay of course, but you can easily check that with a quick jumper from the battery positive to the little post with the Red w/blue wire on it. Make sure it's out of gear of course(*!), but if everything else is good, it should spin the starter like normal.

Good luck.

Paul

 

[70_Steve]

Hi, and Welcome to the site.

The starting system on these Bronco's is pretty simple. There's a starter solenoid (heavy duty relay) on the fenderwell, right near the battery. The positive battery cable is hooked to one side. The other side is a big cable that goes to the starter motor on the engine. The circuit should be completed with the negative battery cable hooked to the engine block.

Besides the two big cables on the starter solenoid, there are two smaller ones. The small terminal, next to the BAT+ terminal is the S terminal (S for Start) When you turn the key to START, the ignition switch puts 12 volts on this S terminal, the solenoid energizes, and connects the BAT+ to the STArter motor.

If you turn the key to START, and the solenoid doesn't pull in (you should hear a click) then either the ignition switch is bad, or the wiring from the ignition switch to the solenoid is bad, or the solenoid it's self is bad.

You can test the solenoid with the right safety procedures. Have the key turned to OFF. Put the transmission in neutral and set the emergency brake. You might also want to block the tires. Remove the wire from the small S terminal. Then, using a small piece of wire (or a remote starter switch) connect the BAT+ terminal to the S terminal. This simulates the key being turned to START. The solenoid should energize and the starter motor should run, turning the engine over.

 

[PTG in MN]

Well guys,

I'm embarrassed to say that it ran out of gas, and that's why it stalled in the first place (fuel gauge does not work). I need a new pigtail for that.

But it would not turn over because of battery charge. It had enough to run the fan and radio but that's it. Earlier in the day when I was working on the break lights turning them on and off and then plowing right away with headlights and plow headlights on the battery must not have charged.

Either what a great website this is. Thanks for the quick responses guys. I'm falling in live with this Early Bronco and will be a lifer I think.

Paul

Thanks for the help.

 

[DirtDonk]

Hey, at least it was a quick-fix and you're not still out there buried under that new foot of snow on the hood!
Frankly, for the duties it sounds like you're going to be putting it up to, I would update/upgrade the charging system.
Make sure that you have at least a 65 amp alternator (highest typical output for the original small-case alts) and not one of the original 45-55 amp versions.
Then make sure that your belt is tight enough to keep the alternator spinning at full charge.
Go ahead and check some of those other things mentioned anyway. Good battery cables and clean mounting points go a long way towards a healthy charge for the battery.
Make sure that the ground to the body is still present. The original cable had one, but many people have long since replaced their cables with new ones and don't always keep the full grounding scheme. Which, in the case of EB's, was never enough to begin with.
Also run the best batteries you can afford. There is literally no such thing as overkill when it comes to battery performance and cable gauge sizes. Too much is just enough.

And if all this is not enough, and you keep running down batteries, it's a super easy upgrade to jump the output of your alternator to either a similar generation (1G) alternator with up to 105 amps of output. Easier still is the upgrade to a modern 3G style internally regulated unit good for either 95 or 130 amps.

Lots of good stuff to read here that we've discussed many times. When you have some free time from plowing, check it out. For future reference if nothing else.
The future has a way of coming up fast when it comes to Early Broncos!!!!

Paul