There's a Gremlin in my engine

Lou hoods&more

Lou hoods&more

New member
Ok got a weird problem.

My 93 Ford 150 300 straight six ....when I turn the headlights on the engine dies. No sputter or lose of power, just dead. Turn lights off starts right up, I can turn headlights on while idle truck will run.
Go rolling along and slap the lights on truck takes a dump....!! What gives?

Ok I'm thinking must be electrical so I've replaced battery (she was week) got new battery cable and ends, the alternator is kicking out good.

So I roll to the store, turn on the lights a bam................WTF!!

ok I'm thinking get an Ohmmeter and test all grounds.
grounds are ?
  • body-frame
  • battery-body
  • frame-engine
  • neg post battery-block

Am I forgetting anything? :bash::bash:

Or a intermittent short, that only happens when it's important I get to where I'm going.:banghead:
 
Well Fords are know to have weird problems when they are not grounded well. And starter solenoid problems...hahahahaha

Probably be looking into new head light switch heard somewhere they like to go out. grrrrrr
Got other things I'd rather be doing.
 
Lou hoods&more said:
Well Fords are know to have weird problems when they are not grounded well. And starter solenoid problems...hahahahaha

Probably be looking into new head light switch heard somewhere they like to go out. grrrrrr
Got other things I'd rather be doing.
Click to expand...

Too late for cash for clunkers, or I'd suggest trading up to a Chevy. :rotflmao:
 
I thought that GM stood for Government Motors.... hmmm
Government_Motors.jpg
 
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I had a 1971 Mustang GT that after a while the headlights would just die then turn back on. It had that problem for a while but would not do it all the time. I went and had the dealer check it out and they could not find a problem but suggested a new headlight switch and that seemed to make it a little bit better but it did it but not as much.

I would disconnect all grounds and with sand paper or emery cloth clean them up. Even though they might be connected, you don't know how good the connection is.

Another thing is look at the battery wires, you might not see corrosion but a lot of times there is corrosion under the insulator at the lead connector and it goes back a few inches, that will cause problems and you really can't see it unless you peel the insulation off.

I had all the above problems years ago and found out that my engine block to frame ground wire was there but corroded badly where you could not see. Got it replaced, got the battery wires replaced and they cleaned up all other ground wires and life was good again. This was in a different Mustang.

Good Luck.
 
Christopher said:
I had a 1971 Mustang GT that after a while the headlights would just die then turn back on. It had that problem for a while but would not do it all the time. I went and had the dealer check it out and they could not find a problem but suggested a new headlight switch and that seemed to make it a little bit better but it did it but not as much.

I would disconnect all grounds and with sand paper or emery cloth clean them up. Even though they might be connected, you don't know how good the connection is.

Another thing is look at the battery wires, you might not see corrosion but a lot of times there is corrosion under the insulator at the lead connector and it goes back a few inches, that will cause problems and you really can't see it unless you peel the insulation off.

I had all the above problems years ago and found out that my engine block to frame ground wire was there but corroded badly where you could not see. Got it replaced, got the battery wires replaced and they cleaned up all other ground wires and life was good again. This was in a different Mustang.

Good Luck.
Click to expand...

New battery / battery wire / connectors / headlight switch ....every ground wire taken off and cleaned. then every connector on the wiring harness was cleaned. She fires up strong.... and runs with the headlight on.

Good call Cris...I was well into when you were writing.:dance::dance:

Up grade to a chebby??:banghead::banghead:
 
Glad you got it worked out Lou.

Was it one thing or a combination of a lot of things?
 
I didn't know that there were any 93 chevys still running.
 
My 1970 Z/28 runs great.

Nothing against vintage Fords; I own a '31 Model A, '57 T Bird and a '66 Mustang.

I owned a ford truck once, was a nightmare, mostly electrical. Never again.
 
Christopher said:
Glad you got it worked out Lou.

Was it one thing or a combination of a lot of things?
Click to expand...

It was a combo of things.

After we got it going I cleaned the engine up drove it from uptown Phoenix out to Goodyear and back, she barely warmed up :sarcastic::meeting:
 
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