1976 Ford F-250 Hooked Battery up backwards!

Tiny
SMOKINBC
  • MEMBER
  • 1976 FORD F-250
  • 6.4L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 88,000 MILES
Ok. So obviously I'm an idiot. A very distracted idiot at the time. I hooked my battery cables up backwards after taking my battery in to get charged. Now. Nothing at all! No headlights, no starting or turning over, nothing.

When I did it, I saw smoke. Perhaps from the wire from my solenoid to the alternator? Brother told me to replace the fusible link in that cable. Going to do that today.

Any other suggestions? Anything else I could have screwed up.

Again, it's a 1976 F-250 Hi-Boy 4x4.

Lost in Asheville
Brian
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Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014 AT 9:22 AM

5 Replies

Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
You aren't alone with the battery hookup a lot of people do that. Check all your fusible links at relay that is what probably burned up with luck you didn't fry the ecm on the fender. There can be quite a few of them and you'll know test with a test lightshold be same brightness or volts on both ends. They are available at auto parts.
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Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014 AT 9:45 AM
Tiny
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Thanks.

Changed the wire/fusible link out this afternoon. Didn't have the right tools, so I'll have to try again tomorrow. At one point, I had lights. But did nothing when I tried to crank it. Could it be b/c I didn't have it properly installed (was just touching so I could check to see if it worked). The "ring" on the fusible link was too small for the post on my solenoid.

If not, could my solenoid have fried? Again, didn't crank at all when I tried. I'll know more by tomorrow when I have the right ring/connection for the wire to attach to my solenoid.
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Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014 AT 1:50 PM
Tiny
HMAC300
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  • 48,601 POSTS
There are a few fusible links so check them all. I kind of doubt you fired the relay but check it. I'm talking about the one on the fender. You can always cut the small ring off and put one on that will fit the relay, just make sure to solder it for a good connection not a crimp
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Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014 AT 3:38 PM
Tiny
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Changed everything out, now have power. However, now my truck won't stay running once it starts. Has been sitting for about 2 months, but I have never had any problems with it before. Tried starting fluid, helps it get started, but then just dies. Getting plenty of fuel. Obviously gets enough spark to start, just won't continue to run after I start it.

Any ideas?
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Thursday, December 4th, 2014 AT 3:36 PM
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Take an ohm reading between the orange and purple wires of pick up coil in distributor it shold be 400-800 ohms. From your description it almost sounds like the balsast resistance wire is broken but cheek the pickup first then the module which also check ground wire in dist as it should be between the body and plate where the pickup coil mounts. Also check coil wire for resistance or put a pieceof hanger from coil to dist if it starts and runs your coil wire is bad. Just keep your hands away from it.
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Thursday, December 4th, 2014 AT 4:18 PM

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