ramcharger mystery electical problem help pleeeeeze

From : ramchargr

Q: ihave a 1988 ramcharger that has operated perfectly. after sitting for a week the radio pre-sets were gone but the truck started and ran fine through several stops. then the entire electrical system didnt function at all lights ignition and accessories then it started fine again about an hour later and after several stops and starts the problem recurred and has persisted. the battery is completely charged and jump starts will not power lights or acessories or ignition. the ground is good and current will flow from the positive leads off the battery at the two connectors through the body and chassis and back to the battery. dealer and local electical shop are baffled. any ideas thanks mike .

Replies:

From : daniel j stern

on mon 21 jun 2004 ramchargr wrote ihave a 1988 ramcharger that has operated perfectly. after sitting for a week the radio pre-sets were gone but the truck started and ran fine through several stops. then the entire electrical system didnt function at all lights ignition and accessories then it started fine again about an hour later and after several stops and starts the problem recurred and has persisted. the battery is completely charged and jump starts will not power lights or acessories or ignition. the ground is good and current will flow from the positive leads off the battery at the two connectors through the body and chassis and back to the battery. dealer and local electical shop are baffled. any ideas thanks mike sounds like internally-broken battery cables or an intermittent fault at the main power disconnect the 3 hard plastic pull-apart/snap-together connector about 5 inches down the positive cable from the battery. testing the battery cables with a continuity meter often wont reveal this since such meters work on considerably less current than is called for by the trucks electrical system. if it turns out that your 16-year-old battery cables are in fine order think about that one for a minute the other prospect is an intermittent within the battery itself. dealer unless youve got a very exceptional dealer theres such high turnover at the dealer service departments that its hard to find anyone who remembers properly how to service a 1988 vehicle. ds .

From : sean prinz

it also sounds like it could be a bad ground. the battery and electrical harness go to ground several places. one of these could be loose or rusty. since the battery is charging and holding a charge fine i would check the ground connections under the dash and on the firewall in the engine compartment. sean on mon 21 jun 2004 ramchargr wrote ihave a 1988 ramcharger that has operated perfectly. after sitting for a week the radio pre-sets were gone but the truck started and ran fine through several stops. then the entire electrical system didnt function at all lights ignition and accessories then it started fine again about an hour later and after several stops and starts the problem recurred and has persisted. the battery is completely charged and jump starts will not power lights or acessories or ignition. the ground is good and current will flow from the positive leads off the battery at the two connectors through the body and chassis and back to the battery. dealer and local electical shop are baffled. any ideas thanks mike sounds like internally-broken battery cables or an intermittent fault at the main power disconnect the 3 hard plastic pull-apart/snap-together connector about 5 inches down the positive cable from the battery. testing the battery cables with a continuity meter often wont reveal this since such meters work on considerably less current than is called for by the trucks electrical system. if it turns out that your 16-year-old battery cables are in fine order think about that one for a minute the other prospect is an intermittent within the battery itself. dealer unless youve got a very exceptional dealer theres such high turnover at the dealer service departments that its hard to find anyone who remembers properly how to service a 1988 vehicle. ds .