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Electrical Issues - 84 F250

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ArdWrknTrk

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Administrator

Sam, I want to point out that not all fusible links may be present on your truck.

It depends on how it was optioned.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Gary Lewis

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Administrator

In reply to this post by swampedout

Sam - First, Jim is right. Several of the fuse links shown in the EVTM were due to options, like the trailering option. Or the one for EEC, which yours wouldn't have. Ditto the one for carburetor circuits.

As for the travel restrictions, I think I understand. Thanks!

No, this isn't for the TransAmerica Trail ride. That's hopefully going to happen next summer. This is for a trip we are planning with another couple. We were scheduled to go to the UK with them this year, but the UK has the same restrictions as NM. And since it doesn't make sense to go someplace for two weeks and have to quarantine for 14 days, we aren't going there and decided to take a trip "west" instead.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

swampedout

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Well I hate to give you discouraging news regarding your trip. I hope you dont take it personally.
I think theyre making a big deal about travel restrictions because Texas and Arizona had high numbers earlier in the summer.

Sam
1984 F250. 460. C6. 4x4.
MSD Ignition. Airbag rear suspension
Whole buncha problems

swampedout

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Thanks for that diagram Gary,

I like how Ford draws them up, with page numbers and locations. Thats very helpful for a slow learner like me.

Sam
1984 F250. 460. C6. 4x4.
MSD Ignition. Airbag rear suspension
Whole buncha problems

swampedout

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk

Also, this is a question to both Jim and Gary.
I know you two have the zf5, but Im curious what size tire each of you is turning with your different gear ratios

Sam
1984 F250. 460. C6. 4x4.
MSD Ignition. Airbag rear suspension
Whole buncha problems

Gary Lewis

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Administrator

No, it isn't personal. It is just what it is.

As for tire size, our calculator (Documentation/Driveline/Calculators) just magically seems to be set up for Big Blue's combo of 33" tires and 3.55 gears, so it is easy for me to check the RPM.

And at 65 MPH I should be turning 1795 R's.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Administrator

In reply to this post by swampedout

My axle ratio is 4.10:1
I just have stock tires. 235/85 R16-E

They start out around 32" and are done at 31.

I would like something a bit taller.
With deep gears like that I can be in 4th under 30.

But these scrub the springs already, so I don't want to limit lock in order to fit bigger tires.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

swampedout

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Ok, my truck had 33s on it when I bought it. Not sure about gears, though. Its hard for me to tell if I like the combo. Im used to a manual transmission where I can feel when the tires start spinning. But it is my big truck so big tires are nice, especially once we get snow.

Sam
1984 F250. 460. C6. 4x4.
MSD Ignition. Airbag rear suspension
Whole buncha problems

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Administrator

Sam, I saw your post about a boost pack.

Have you still not found what's draining your batteries?

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

swampedout

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Not sure. I drove it this about 1.5 hrs this weekend so now I will recheck battery levels.
Last weekend I charged them enough to start it but didnt have the engine running long enough for the alternator to give them a good charge.
Ive had a lot on my plate this week so I havent been able to dive deeper into the rats nest.

This reminded me of the jump starter because I havent had a truck that wouldnt start in a while but I am in places where it could be an issue if I need to wait for another vehicle to come for a jump (cutting firewood for instance) so its a tool that I want to have available.

Sam
1984 F250. 460. C6. 4x4.
MSD Ignition. Airbag rear suspension
Whole buncha problems

swampedout

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Just checked. Both batteries are at 12.4.

Sam
1984 F250. 460. C6. 4x4.
MSD Ignition. Airbag rear suspension
Whole buncha problems

Gary Lewis

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Administrator

12.4 volts isn't all that "fully charged". Should be more like 12.8 volts. So I'm guessing you have a small draw.

I'd pull the positive cable and put my DVM, in the 10 amp mode, from the positive post the positive cable. With the door shut so the dome light isn't on, you shouldn't have more than ~30 ma of draw, meaning .03 amp. If you do you need to find it.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

swampedout

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

I just did the test as you described it, Gary and I didnt find anything.
One battery is dated 10/19, the other is 12/18. Theyve both been run down a couple times when my voltage regulator wasnt working, so maybe they arent holding a full charge.
Im not ruling out a draw but Ill have to look harder to find it.

Sam
1984 F250. 460. C6. 4x4.
MSD Ignition. Airbag rear suspension
Whole buncha problems

Gary Lewis

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Administrator

Did you turn your meter down after the initial test? I should have said that. You put it on 10A to make sure there's no big current draw. And then keep dropping it down until you run out of scales or find some current.

In other words, the .030 amp max I mentioned might not show up on the 10 amp scale.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

swampedout

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Yup, ran it through all the scales.
One thing that Im thinking now is I had the secondary battery cable unhooked while I checked the main battery. Could that cause an issue?

Sam
1984 F250. 460. C6. 4x4.
MSD Ignition. Airbag rear suspension
Whole buncha problems

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Administrator

Not if both batteries are reading the same and the cable isn't frayed and grounding somewhere...

If all you have is a clock or radio memory drawing power there's no reason I can see for the batteries to lose charge.

Having been dead, they may have sulphated to where they don't have the cranking amps they used to.
But that's a different situation.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Gary Lewis

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Administrator

Sam - I'm glad you ran through all the scales.

But Jim has a good point about the batteries maybe being sulphated, which is easy to do, and in that case they probably won't stay at 12.8 volts after the charge is removed. So you may not have a drain.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Administrator

How's that Optima holding up Gary?

Does it seem any worse for wear?

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Gary Lewis

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Administrator

It is doing well, Jim. I charged it for several days on the 10 amp setting, which brought it up very slowly given its size. Then as it hit the low 13's the smart switch closed and the two batteries went into parallel, so I left the charger on the 10 amp setting until we hit 14.5 volts, at which point I dropped the charger to the 2 amp setting.

During that time I was working in the cab so had the doors open and the dome light and two footwell lights, all LED, as well as the parallel relay apparently pulled slightly more than 2 amps as the voltage would slowly go down during the day to maybe 12.4 volts, but then come back up to about 13.0 volts over night.

And after all that it seems to stay up at 12.8 now over night w/o the charger. So I think it is good.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Electrical Issues - 84 F250

Administrator

Glad to hear it has recovered so well.

LA starting batteries, even AGM, don't usually stand a chance at those voltages.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

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