None of the electricil works.

[derrabls]

First off wanted to say I've been reading stuff on this site for awhile. You guys are great. Now to my question.

I have a 1972 Ranger. The only thing that works is the rear parking lights. To start it I turn the key to the on position but I have wires ran from the starter box under the hood to get it going. A friend told me he had a similar problem with a volkswagon where all the fuses blew but they looked fine. He had a voltmeter with him so thats how he knew his were blew. As far as I know the truck was this way when I got it. Has anybody else had this problem or have any idea what could cause this?

Thanks

[DuckRyder]

You are going to have to get a little more specific.

Do you mean that nothing at all except the taillights works? Does it run? By STARTER BOX, do you mean the solenoid on the right inner fender?

See if any of these pictures help figure out if the wiring is stock.

http://www.bellsouthpwp.net/d/u/duckryder/F100/

The ones that start with 360 are all engine compartment shots.

My first SWAG based on what you said would be the ignition switch.

[derrabls]

It has a 360. The wiring looks stock from what I can tell. I do have a used wiring harness from a factory truck I got off ebay if thats what its gonna take. I have to use the starter solenoid to get it to start. When I pull the light switch the only thing that comes on is the tail lights. No blinkers or headlights. It doesn't look like its been burnt and there isn't any lose wires hanging around. The dash isn't hooked up. It was out when I got the truck if that has anything to do with it.

[oldschoolrods]

Check the fuses with a test light, then if that fails start checking connections at the bulbs. Check for power at the bulb connectors, you may just have burned out bulbs but unlikely, if you don't have power your problem lies with the wiring or the headlight switch.

[DuckRyder]

We might have two problems:

1) won't start with key

2) lighting.

Couple more things to check

Most of the lights won't work if the turn signal switch is disconnected, never tried to run one with the dash panel out, but I'd sure hook it up before I tried to troubleshoot anything past fuses.

There are some connectors near the rear bumper to check as well for the lights and check the grounds.

HTH

[lobuck76]

Here's what I can tell ya. The instrument panel is out of mine (1971), so walked out there and checked it out.

The truck will start, the headlights,park and taillights and brakelights work. Turn signals don't work.
If the wiring looks good then it probabley is good. I would first check the ignition switch like duckryder said, and soleniod. Make sure you're getting juice to the soleniod from the ignition switch when in start position. If you are then the soleniod is probabley bad.

[derrabls]

Thanks everybody for taking the time to help out. I'll post here once I get it straight.

[NM5K]

Also don't rule out the fusebox itself...They are notorious for developing resistive connections, which in turn heat up, and worsen the problem.
Some will be intermittant, and the worse cases will have totally fried the connections. I have this problem on my 68 with just the connection to the cig lighter/dome, etc fuse. The connection on the back of the fuse box is resistive, and if I try to run high current off the cig lighter, like in actually using the lighter, it heats up the connection on the back of the fuse box, and wigs out...I then have to wiggle it, etc, to get it to come back on. The last time I went through this, I decided to quit using the lighter until I ran a new wire to it...BTW, getting to the back of the fuse box is a royal pain in the rear.
You'd have to yank the whole box out/loose, etc.... It ain't easy...Not to mention, you will be working in the inverted position, sure to produce back pain, and excess blood flowing to the brain.... Invest in a VOM if you don't have one....You are gonna need it...Also make sure no fusable links, if any, are not blown. MK