electrical help please

[Jameasun]

Ok to start out I have a 83 5.O stang. I cant start my car, have no lights(hazard or otherwise),and I am flustered.

What I have done or found so far.

-Cleaned the battery terminals- clean

-Had the battery load tested-ok

-With the battery in, connected and switch off: 12.34v on: 12.34v

-The lights will not come on with ignition switch off

-With the switch in acc. the radio will not come on

-fuseable links off the alt. are ok

-With the ignition switch on I have 12.25v at the silinoid s terminal

Can you help me please?

 

[blk92stangg]

Maybe check your your battery ground? Check all the fuses too

 

[turbo'dstangGT]

Kinda weird sounding...my lights in my 83 GT come on with the ignition key off...i have had serious electrical problems with the car also i have replaced ignition lock, rewired engine bay when i did the hiding wires thing,alternator,starter, battery,starter solenoid and voltage regulator...nothing seemed to help the car wouldnt stay charged over night...i just installed a moroso blue battery box and the thing starts right up with no drain anymore...go figure...if i where you i'd change the voltage regulator only like $15 give it a jump start and go from there...then if it still dont work pull the negative terminal and hook a test light in between that and the negative post on the battery if it lights up with the ignition off and the doors closed start pullin fuses...if it still wont go out unhook the thick battery wire from the alternator if it goes out your alternator is to blame...hope this helps, if you got anymore questions you can PM me i have been through this wiring back and forth for 2 years

 

[5.0Droptop]

check your batery cables, they may have severe corrosion inside them.

 

[5.0Droptop]

Ohh I think the early mustangs had external voltage regulators, Perhaps your regulater went out??

 

[HISSIN50]

how was the battery tested? load test on bench, in car, specific gravity, etc.
try hooking a known good battery as a "jumper" and see if you now have juice.

you can show 12 volts and have no amps. when you are in the crank position, you should have around 9 volts or more (in case that helps troubleshooting).

stuff like this is easy, as there are not too many things that can leave you with no power. i like 5.0 droptop's ideas. and really check your grounds. dont forget engine to chassis grounds. good luck.

 

[jerry beach]

There is a large yellow wire coming off the soleniod that runs most of the accessories such as lights. Make sure it has power after the fusible link. Sounds to me that you have a problem with that link. Sorry

 

[rd]

Ok to start out I have a 83 5.O stang. I cant start my car, have no lights(hazard or otherwise),and I am flustered.

What I have done or found so far.

-Cleaned the battery terminals- clean

-Had the battery load tested-ok

-With the battery in, connected and switch off: 12.34v on: 12.34v

-The lights will not come on with ignition switch off

-With the switch in acc. the radio will not come on

-fuseable links off the alt. are ok

-With the ignition switch on I have 12.25v at the silinoid s terminal

Can you help me please?

I assume that what you are saying is that you get no starter action at all.

You lack of lights and accessories, seems to indicate either a failed battery or a failed cable connection.

I would spend 10 minutes cleaning and checking the cables, and then swap in a known good battery. or just buy a new one.

In 8 of my last 10 similar problems, it was the battery. They will fail internally such that they have the normal voltage, but will not provide enough current for the stater. In the other two, it was cables. One was just dirty post and ground connections. The other was a molded cable terminal that pulled away from the inside of the post clamp. It had not come out far enough to be seen until you looked real close, when you could see the original mark on the insulation, about 1/16th inch to far out. A $3 dollar WalMart cable fixed it.

Sometimes a battery that has failed open or a bad cable will also make it difficult to jump start, because you still will not have a good circuit for the good battery.

With the engine running again, check the battery voltage with the engine off, and with the engine running. It should go up to 13 to 15 volts with the engine running and the alt and regulator working. If it does not, change the alt, then the regulator. On an 85, I think they still used the separate regulator. I think alternators are about $50 and regulators about $20.

 

[Jameasun]

Thank you all! I am going out now to see what I can figure out. I will keep you posted.

 

[turbo'dstangGT]

Uhhh jerry beach his car is an 83 it doesnt apply to that diagram because his car came carbed no eec computer until 1986 ...and yes they came with an external voltage regulator until 1986 too

 

[Jameasun]

Well it was a grounding problem. Where the neg. cable bolts to the block was bad. The terminal was clean but the inside of the cable was ate up. She is up and running. Thank you for your help