g2_5point0

So my old battery was trashed. took it in and got a new one. popped it in, made sure the terminals were clean and tried to give her a start and nada. No dash lights, no crank, nothing. Just a small click in the general direction of the driver side engine bay. I tried readjusting the battery cables tighter and with a sure contact but still, nada. I've done a few searches but this is probably a much easier fix than i imagine... but im frustrated and everything is failing on me! even my desktop computer... to add to the frustration! lol.

86 5.0L

do the headlights turn on?

I had this problem awhile back, it was a loose cable under the hood, might have been a loose ground

turbosha

yup sounds like a ground issue. get some jumper cables and hook to the neg. side of battery and to a good ground, alt,exhaust bolt,powersteering bolt something. then give her a go.

g2_5point0

I just checked my grounds and everything is in the right place. Headlights turn on prior to me turning the key in the ignition. Once i do that, i hear a click and the headlights shut off. If I run the positive jumper cable from the battery to the starter solenoid, i get some sort of life. could the solenoid be my culprit?


I had a connection for a brief period and tried running a KOEO test, but when it came time to test the starter, i heard a short buzz and then the dash lights went off and the test was stopped.

Any advice would be great!

mattdel

sounds like a bad cable.

Liquid_02

Get a set of booster cables, connect the neg to the negative terminal, the other to the block somewhere, the Pos to the pos terminal, the other to the power side of your solenoid. Keep the factory cables connected for extra insurance. Give 'er a go. When it starts, as i'm positive it will, check the positive cable going to the solenoid, make sure nut is tight and everything clean.

g2_5point0

indeed a bad cable. i had to unclamp it at the head, and clamp it on a thicker, healthier part of the cable and everything worked out. now i have a shiney new solenoid, too. lol. luckily it wasnt an expensive part, being merely 15 bucks.