engine died now no battery power

[jperry1290]

Was warming up the bronco in the driveway when all of a sudden it stopped. I heard a "pisst" and saw a small puff of smoke looks like the solenoid. What causes this will a new solenoid fix it?

 

[Broncobowsher]

Probably a short in the electrical system, and a fairly major one at that. What causes it, don't you wish electrical work was that easy. Could be numerous items. Chafed wire, shorted alternator, nut fallen to a post and shorted it out. Solenoid failure is actually fairly low on the probability list, but still on it.

What you probably fried was the fusable link in the power wire. It is a last ditch fuse (actually a specially designed wire that is made to fail before taking out the whole wiring harness/truck). It isn't something that you want to just throw a new one in and hope all is good. For it to fry bad enough you heard it fry, it is on the edge of burning the whole harness out of the truck or burning the truck to the ground. More detective work besides just fixing the fried fusable link at the battery.

 

[jperry1290]

Looks like a fusible link did fry. It hooks up to the left solenoid post along with the positive battery cable.it runs through the firewall and I believe to the ignition switch. Should this wire be running to the switch from that post?

 

[904Bronco]

Looks like a fusible link did fry. It hooks up to the left solenoid post along with the positive battery cable.it runs through the firewall and I believe to the ignition switch. Should this wire be running to the switch from that post?

As you described it, yes... Now the question is why did the FL fail

 

[Steve83]

Should this wire be running to the switch from that post?

You have absolutely NO information about your Bronco in your signature, profile, or post. %) We need to know year, engine, options, modifications, damage, repairs...

 

[904Bronco]

As you described it, yes... Now the question is why did the FL fail

I made the assumption that it is mostly stock...

 

[jperry1290]

1970 302 engine almost all stock. Tried looking for faulty wires and grounds with no luck. Replaced the FL and it drives fine. Replaced the relay at the same time. I think I will do a new wiring harness and alternatorupgrade at some point.