ignition switch failure?

[Orange73]

On my drive home today, fortunately about 500 yds from the house, the Bronco just died, I mean total shut off. Turn the key and nothing, no radio, no lights, no fuel pump, not electrical at all. I checked my spot lights, which are wired bypassing the ignition switch, and they worked, so not the alternator or battery.

So it had to be the ignition switch.....so I tried jumping directly from battery to the fuse box to get power to the ignition, and it started ok.

So my question is has anyone else seen this? I am wondering if it is just age, or am I pulling too many amps through the switch and killing somehow?

plus, any one know how to get one out of the dash?

thanks

Jim

[CityHick]

Definitely an ignition switch problem. Strange that it just up and failed like that so you'll have to try and figure out what happened, or maybe it was just time for that switch to fail. Electrical troubleshooting is not my specialty, but I do know how to remove the switch. Read on:

To pull the switch from the dash, bend a paperclip straight (or I've found that a very small allen wrench also works here) and insert it into the small round hole next to the key slot. You will then need to turn the key all the way to the left, one click past the "acc" detent and the key cylinder will come right out. You can now remove the switch from the dash by contorting yourself such that one hand is behind the dash and the other is in front. Push on the switch from behind the dash as you're pushing on it from the face. The two twist apart and everything will come free - its a push-twist motion, you're compressing a spring that holds the face in a detent on the bezel. It'll make sense once its out.

Good luck!

[904Bronco]

How about the fuseable link that supplies power to everything?

When they fail everything shuts down. Check main power feed line at the starter relay, make sure there is power on both sides of it.

[Orange73]

How about the fuseable link that supplies power to everything?

When they fail everything shuts down. Check main power feed line at the starter relay, make sure there is power on both sides of it.

I never knew there was a fuseable link, one question, would jumping power to the fuse box in the glove box by pass the link? because once I jumped power to the fuse in the glove box, everything on the ignition circuit worked including the starter....

Jim

[904Bronco]

I never knew there was a fuseable link, one question, would jumping power to the fuse box in the glove box by pass the link? because once I jumped power to the fuse in the glove box, everything on the ignition circuit worked including the starter....

Jim

The link failure should stop power from getting to the fuse block...

So if you ran a wire from the battery to the fuse block and back-feed the system, then things would work.
Including the ignition switch? If so, it is not the switch.

Did I read it right Jim?

Doug

[Orange73]

The link failure should stop power from getting to the fuse block...

So if you ran a wire from the battery to the fuse block and back-feed the system, then things would work.
Including the ignition switch? If so, it is not the switch.

Did I read it right Jim?

Doug

That sounds about right, I took the switch part and there is no power at the switch of any kind,

so where exactly is the fused link? and why would it blow?

Jim

[Orange73]

So the mystery is solved....the fuse link was coming off the starter solenoid, and wrapped in the black wrap they use. I measured at the starter switch, and found it was not totally without power, it had about 3 volts....hummm

So I started stripping the wire back from the solenoid where I knew there was power and found it was the crimp connector connecting the fuse link to the main harness. The connector was pretty corroded and slightly burned, probably from the corrosion.

I cleaned up the connection with a new crimp, and everything works just fine now....

Jim

[904Bronco]

Doesn't it feel good to find the problem and then fix it yourself...

[Orange73]

Doesn't it feel good to find the problem and then fix it yourself...

well....yes, but as with so many problems, I am now on to the next problem, or more likely the source of the problem I fixed.

I am now showing 60 amps being pulled when the motor is running. I bought a new regulator, and its a no go, still pulling 60 amps. I pulled all the fuses, and still pulling 60 amps.

ideas?

Jim

[904Bronco]

Have you had any problems with the battery? Could it be discharged? Trickle charge it overnight, make sure it is fully charged. Might be a gauge issue... 60 amps tells me that there is a load somewhere, if everything is turned off then all that is left is the battery or the gauge. What is the voltage like? 14.2V

[Orange73]

no problems with the battery, seems to have a lot of power, I can leave the lights one for 30 minutes and she turns over easy and starts and runs.

If I unplug the alternator everything is fine but clearly it is not charging,

I took the alternator to Kragen and it checked out ok.

I am worried that I coudl have fired the new regulator when I put it in, so I will get another tomorrow.....

If that fails, I guess I will try to isolate the charging system and test it in the bronco.....

frustrating...

that and I am headed out of town tomorrow for a week, so everything goes on hold for a while....

Jim