Electrical problems - won't start

[MattW]

First off, electrical issues and me are similar to gasoline and a match.

Started up the Bronco and pulled it out of the garage earlier. I drained and refilled my radiator and then put on a new air filter. Went to start it back up and nothing. It still has power for my lights work and the brake warning light comes on (I assume this means I have power). When I try to turn it over it just 'clicks' now. It's a factory 302 with a carb and the factory wiring harness.

I checked all my connections and hit them with a wire brush and still nothing. For what it's worth, I did jump a car the other day with a cheap set of jumper cables and fried the cables before I could even get them unhooked. Not sure if that matters or not. However, the Bronco ran fine the rest of the day and I've started it several times with no problems after that prior to this.

My starter had been acting up a little I suppose, but nothing to signal that it was on the verge of death at any moment.

After class tomorrow I was planning on picking up a new starter solenoid and a starter if I can find one in stock.

What else should I be looking for or checking?


Thanks in advance.

 

[Viperwolf1]

Are the headlights bright or dim?

Dim lights. Could be a discharged battery. It's possible that you damaged the alternator or regulator when you fried the jumper cables and you've just been discharging the battery since then. Check the battery voltage and charge it to get it running. Then check running voltage.

Bright lights. Bad starter, solenoid or cables in between.

 

[MattW]

Thanks, Viper. I knew you'd be along before long.

The lights are plenty bright. Have an aftermarket headlight harness and new headlights. Hopefully it's just a dead part and I'll be up and running again tomorrow. If not, I'll be back here...

 

[akafrankcastle]

Wouldn't be a bad idea to pick up a small analog multimeter and keep it in your glovebox or tool kit if you carry one. I've been stuck in similar situations in the past where I think of all the things that could be wrong only to find I have a bad battery connection or a loose cable. Knowing the status of my battery and the flow of juice through the solenoid would have helped bunches. Now I don't leave home without one.

 

[MattW]

Replaced the solenoid first (it's cheaper) and of course that wasn't it. Put in a new starter and cable and it fired right up, the cable caught fire that is. Turns out that cable eyelet isn't supposed to make contact with the bracket on the starter. Bent that out of the way and everything was back to normal.

Thanks for the help.

 

[RRRAAAYYY2]

If the cable caught wire or even melted the insulation, it will cause you grief down the road.