The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay New harness and burnt out headlight?

Hi guys,
Okay we got a battery today. Not having good luck so far.
We have no spark. The engine cranks strong, but no spark or sign of starting. Just cranks.
We tested the ignition switch with a test light. It works.
We tested the coil side of the distributor with the test lights, it blinked on and off as the starter was engaged.
New points and condenser.
Something odd to note. When the key is turned to the on position, the gas gauge moves up to a little past E. Then when the starter is pressed, it pegs to F. When the starter is released, it stays on F. Switch turned off, gauge goes back down to E.
None of the dash lights are lighting other than the bright headlight indicator.
Possibly a bad light switch. When turned clockwise nothing happens.

What's going on here?

Also, how many wires should go to the B terminal of the ignition switch. There's a blue wire that we have hooked to the I terminal, but now we're thinking it should go to the B terminal with the heavy red battery wire.

Also, horn, dome light, and parking lights work. So do the headlights. Until the left headlight got cloudy and blew. I'm chalking that up to an old bulb that got shocked by new battery and fresh wiring.. They both worked fine for a little while, the right one is still good.
Any ideas on what's going on here?

Thanks in advance.

run a wire from the battery to the other side of the coil(from the dist.) and try and start. If it does you need to start tracing wires with a wiring diagram to find out what is in the wrong place.

The trucks running now. The points were a little messed up. Gauge lights working.

We had to install a jumper ground from the sender to the cab for the gas gauge to register.

Current problem is now that when it starts. It runs until you shut it off. But restarting soon after, it won't turn over. Just cranks. Even when the choke is pulled, no good. It has to sit for another hour or so, and then it starts up and runs again.

Is this electrical or mechanical. The spark is intermittent. One headlight got smokey and burnt out, and the other one is working but has a blue haze...what's going on there? I noticed once that the burnt out bulb came back on for a split second...

Thanks guys.

My truck would do the same thing. When it was hot it didn't want to start. Check your grounds and clean them. Battery to frame and frame to block. 6 volt systems need clean grounds.
Hope that helps.
Mark

Will check grounds. Thanks Mark.
We started her up and took her for a 5 minute drive on the driveway (half mile long) and things appear to be OK. Turned it off, and then went to start it right away, and it cranked once or twice, then started to turn over, then started. It's odd the choke needs to be out more than it should be to start it, even after a warm up.
Not sure what's up with the headlights. But we'll continue wiring in the rear lights and signal switch tomorrow. Truck starts and runs, and nothing went up in flames today, so I think we're off to a good start. Here's a picture of the gauges lit up at night, they look real nice.

PICTURE

We got the tail lights and turn signals wired in today. All is good. But now we have no dash lights.
What's going on here... Could it be a faulty headlight switch?
It's odd because when we first powered it up, no dash lights, then after pulling and pushing the headlight switch a few times, dash lights eventually came on went on.
Dome light works fine.
Now after wiring everything else today, and not touching anything near the gauges, no dash lights.
All we did today was wire the turn signals, rear lights, and clean the area where the battery ground cable goes to chassis.

What happened?

check the connection at the headlight switch for the instrument lights.
...pic...
maybe it was knocked loose when you connected your tail lights.
on your kit I believe its a gray wire #1

is it an original switch?

We took a pair of channel locks and turned the headlight knob (dimmer) because the knob is free spinning. Anyway, something didn't sound right in there, and the lights flickered back on, then off, then on.
Something's wrong with the switch. So we're going to just order a new one tonight. The one in there is original I believe.

Any idea on what happened with the headlights? One got smokey and burnt out, and the other got a blue haze but works still. We'll order new bulbs, but just afraid if that happens again. Maybe the bulbs were just inferior/old?

Thanks DADS.

Hard to tell whats going on with your head lights.
Check the condition of the wires in the pig tail, also check the ground at the inner fender.
and the the bulbs are the correct voltage.

Dash lights were working. Now they're not. After fumbling with the headlight switch. I'm thinking maybe since the switch is faulty, that the headlights got a surge of electricity from that switch. They both worked fine at one point, so they are wired correctly. We'll see.
Noticed today that all of the tail light bulbs are 12V. Should those be brought back to 6V or does it not matter, as long as they're not less than 6V?

Maybe someone else can comment on the surge theory. I don't know.

If your system is 6v I would use 6v bulbs.
Have you put a meter on your instrument post of the headlight switch?

maybe the switch is in the dim/off position? Pulled out one and turned all the way right. all the way left is bright. Just a thought.