The Ford Barn

bobmc · 05-17-2021, 07:20 PM

Good evening all. Had some time yesterday evening and some more tonight, so i decided to go back to basics. Removed the floor boards and began at the battery. Positive terminal (ground) clean and tight. I have a master switch between the battery and frame ground, checked the two connections on teh switch, also clean and tight. I also have an additional ground between the frame and bellhousing, again clean and tight.

Now i moved to the negative side of the battery connection at the battery and starter tight. Now i noticed that since i do not have a road draft tube directing the fumes from the oil fill tube that there was some residue on the starter and fuse holder. I removed the fuse holder and cleaned it completely. I also cleaned all residue from the starter.

I removed the terminal box, the gen cutout to terminal box wiring harness and the terminal to dash harness. I used the ohm meter to check all the wires separately for the most part all were ok. However the connection at the cutout was not perfect. The flag terminal was only crimped under on tab. The terminal box to dash herness also had a suspect wire connection on the yellow. Both of these wiring harness are on order and when they arrive i plan to solder the connections also.

This post is getting pushed futher down the list and i understand that so i will try to keep you updated. thanks for all the help and suggestions.

nkaminar · 05-17-2021, 07:26 PM

Bob, Sounds like you are doing all the right stuff to sort out the wiring. Do you have some electrical grease for the contacts?

bobmc · 05-20-2021, 03:06 PM

Ok, we are going backwards. The new wiring harness for the cut out to terminal box and terminal box to dash arrived today. The black and yellow went from the cut out to the drivers side of the terminal box. The solid yellow wire went from the fuse on the starter to the pass side of the terminal box. the dash harness was wired as such, the solid yellow wire attached to the pass side of the box and the other end attached to the amp guage. the yellow and black wire attached to the drivers side of the box and the other end attached to the other terminal on the amp guage. the red wire in that harness attached to the coil and the other end to the key, and the little black wire went on the drivers side (yellow/blk) to the coil. As indicated earlier all ground connections are clean and tight. After installing the new wiring harnesses, the car started and was showing positive amps (+4) on the old gauge???. After a very short time the guage went to 0 and the car stalled. NOW it will not start! Using the multi meter i have 6.34 volts everywhere, starter, both sides of the fuse, both sides of the terminal box and both sides of the coil. I even have 6.34 volts at the points. There is a weal spark when i ground the coil wire that goes into the dist to ground. spark is consent. I believe it is just not hot enough. Tomorrow i will replace the coil. Also while i was waiting for the harness to arrive i completely removed the terminal box and cleaned and tightened the connections. Need to walk away for a while think i am over thinking things. Tomorrow is another day.

nkaminar · 05-20-2021, 03:28 PM

I think you are right in suspecting the coil. Make sure the new one is the type can can work upside down. Otherwise, sounds like a good job with the rewiring.

If you have one, put a battery charger on the battery so that you will have a full charge the next session.

05-17-2021, 07:20 PM	#21
bobmc Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: coraopolis. pa Posts: 70	Re: Amp guage not working, battery not charging Good evening all. Had some time yesterday evening and some more tonight, so i decided to go back to basics. Removed the floor boards and began at the battery. Positive terminal (ground) clean and tight. I have a master switch between the battery and frame ground, checked the two connections on teh switch, also clean and tight. I also have an additional ground between the frame and bellhousing, again clean and tight. Now i moved to the negative side of the battery connection at the battery and starter tight. Now i noticed that since i do not have a road draft tube directing the fumes from the oil fill tube that there was some residue on the starter and fuse holder. I removed the fuse holder and cleaned it completely. I also cleaned all residue from the starter. I removed the terminal box, the gen cutout to terminal box wiring harness and the terminal to dash harness. I used the ohm meter to check all the wires separately for the most part all were ok. However the connection at the cutout was not perfect. The flag terminal was only crimped under on tab. The terminal box to dash herness also had a suspect wire connection on the yellow. Both of these wiring harness are on order and when they arrive i plan to solder the connections also. This post is getting pushed futher down the list and i understand that so i will try to keep you updated. thanks for all the help and suggestions.

05-17-2021, 07:26 PM	#22
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 3,897	Re: Amp guage not working, battery not charging Bob, Sounds like you are doing all the right stuff to sort out the wiring. Do you have some electrical grease for the contacts? __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.

05-20-2021, 03:06 PM	#23
bobmc Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: coraopolis. pa Posts: 70	Re: Amp guage not working, battery not charging Ok, we are going backwards. The new wiring harness for the cut out to terminal box and terminal box to dash arrived today. The black and yellow went from the cut out to the drivers side of the terminal box. The solid yellow wire went from the fuse on the starter to the pass side of the terminal box. the dash harness was wired as such, the solid yellow wire attached to the pass side of the box and the other end attached to the amp guage. the yellow and black wire attached to the drivers side of the box and the other end attached to the other terminal on the amp guage. the red wire in that harness attached to the coil and the other end to the key, and the little black wire went on the drivers side (yellow/blk) to the coil. As indicated earlier all ground connections are clean and tight. After installing the new wiring harnesses, the car started and was showing positive amps (+4) on the old gauge???. After a very short time the guage went to 0 and the car stalled. NOW it will not start! Using the multi meter i have 6.34 volts everywhere, starter, both sides of the fuse, both sides of the terminal box and both sides of the coil. I even have 6.34 volts at the points. There is a weal spark when i ground the coil wire that goes into the dist to ground. spark is consent. I believe it is just not hot enough. Tomorrow i will replace the coil. Also while i was waiting for the harness to arrive i completely removed the terminal box and cleaned and tightened the connections. Need to walk away for a while think i am over thinking things. Tomorrow is another day.

05-20-2021, 03:28 PM	#24
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 3,897	Re: Amp guage not working, battery not charging I think you are right in suspecting the coil. Make sure the new one is the type can can work upside down. Otherwise, sounds like a good job with the rewiring. If you have one, put a battery charger on the battery so that you will have a full charge the next session. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.