Need Fordbarners Help with Electrical Problem

[Walter Ezzell]

This may be a little drawn out but trying to give you all the facts. Was having starting problems with 39 Pickup (85HP). Took dist off and replaced burned points and put on new condenser. Put it back on and before starting used test light to see if current was to coil when key was on. Nothing. Ran jumper wire from negative side of battery to coil. About 2 teaspoons of gas in carb and it started right up. Went and turned off ign switch and it kept running. Removed jumper wire and it quit running. Decided to start again and it started right up with no jumper wire in place. Noticed that horn would not blow but could hear relay clicking. Has an extra horn (klaxton) it works fine. Spotlight will not work. Headlight work fine and have tail lights that burn. Tried brake lights and they do not work. Tried signal lights and they do not work. Used ign switch to turn off motor and it worked fine. Coil is one of Skips so I feel sure there is no problem with coil, and would think no problem with dist since it started right up. Any help you all ( all y'all is plural of you all) can give will be appreciated. Battery is fully charged. Oh yea the ground strap from motor to firewall is not connected. But the positive side of battery is grounded to the cylinder head.

[V8COOPMAN]

Some of those lights might really benefit from that body GROUND. You can NEVER have TOO MANY grounds........period! DD

[JSeery]

Just going to have to use a circuit tester and start checking it out. As V8coopman says, grounds are a common source of electrical problems. As a first guess I would suspect some loose and/or dirty connections.

[Drbrown]

If you haven't already, download a wiring diagram for your year and start checking connections per JSeery and testing continuity. Need for a ground strap between engine and body/frame critical.

[Tinker]

I think your wiring is wrong.

might also be giving full 6v to the coil which is not good (burnt points)

Did you replace the harness? and if so with what?

[TJ]

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Grounding , grounding , grounding. As others have said you can't have too many grounds and the body to frame is critical. Also if you have an old wire harness or a home brewed rewire set up, it may be time to put in a new harness.

[FlatheadTed]

This is pretty much covered by all the posts above but ,Remove you ING switch and clean it ,check your stop switch on the back of the master cylinder ,touch one wire on the other stop should light up .use test light on the horn while pressing it should light up ,make up a 6ft wire with alligator clips and run a hot wire to the flashers ,Ted