5.0L (1979-1995) Mustang Technical discussions on 5.0 Liter Mustangs within. This does not include the 5.0 from the 2011 Mustang GT. That information is in the 2005-1011 section.

Electrical Problems

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-20-2008, 05:50 PM
  #1  
bbbngowc
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
 
bbbngowc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location:
Posts: 787
Default Electrical Problems

Ok. I jump in my car the other day and battery is dead. I take the battery and change it for a new one. But I can't connect it. There's tons of sparks whenever I try to connect the cables to it. What's the problem here? I used a voltmeter and ampmeter and nothing seems to be pulling. All fuses are fine.
bbbngowc is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 05:53 PM
  #2  
aode08
5th Gear Member
 
aode08's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Ohio USA
Posts: 4,616
Default RE: Electrical Problems

Is the negative an dpositive where they, go, ? what do you meen tons of sparks?
aode08 is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 05:59 PM
  #3  
bbbngowc
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
 
bbbngowc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location:
Posts: 787
Default RE: Electrical Problems

Dude! Like fireworks. And if I leave it on for say 2 sec ... a spark comes from the positive and then I get no sparks at all and no juice from the battery. I'll have to take the positive on and then reconnect it for the sparks to come back.
bbbngowc is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 06:02 PM
  #4  
TI302
2nd Gear Member
 
TI302's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Oswego, NY
Posts: 181
Default RE: Electrical Problems

what are you testing with the dmm? nothing can pull a charge without the battery hooked up. when you go to connect the positive terminal you may get a very tiny single spark from something that is always trying to draw power (clock for example), but after that initial spark if you didnt jump/remove the terminal again you should be fine. if its constant than you have a short somewhere, and should have blown a fuse by now
TI302 is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 06:06 PM
  #5  
aode08
5th Gear Member
 
aode08's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Ohio USA
Posts: 4,616
Default RE: Electrical Problems

Can you get a video up
aode08 is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 06:07 PM
  #6  
bbbngowc
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
 
bbbngowc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location:
Posts: 787
Default RE: Electrical Problems

I connected the positive cable and put the ampmeter in series with the battery and neg wire. Nothing high there. When I connected the negative back, there was so much spark that it burned the terminal. Clearly something is wrong here. How do I find the problem? Where i? the main batteryfuse in a 91 Fox?
bbbngowc is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 06:14 PM
  #7  
bbbngowc
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
 
bbbngowc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location:
Posts: 787
Default RE: Electrical Problems

Ok. I just went through all the sparks and got the cables on. But the car is still completely dead. This is a new battery.
bbbngowc is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 06:18 PM
  #8  
bbbngowc
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
 
bbbngowc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location:
Posts: 787
Default RE: Electrical Problems

I just tested again. When the battery cables are disconnected (at least when the positive cable is disconnected) the battery voltage is 12.4V. When the cables are connected, it's 4V. How can I find what the heck is pulling this and why all of a sudden?
bbbngowc is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 06:29 PM
  #9  
bbbngowc
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
 
bbbngowc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location:
Posts: 787
Default RE: Electrical Problems

bbbngowc is offline  
Old 03-20-2008, 07:02 PM
  #10  
mjr46
D.R. THE PATHETIC DORK
 
mjr46's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 30,863
Default RE: Electrical Problems

check for a short but more importantly with the pos cable on and ammeter connected in series on neg cable ..what is your reading...do you know what acceptable spec is?? it's 25 to 50 milliamps..you need a digital multimeter to run the test set to amps function
mjr46 is offline  


Quick Reply: Electrical Problems



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:30 AM.