Electrical Gremlin story...

[pgkeating]

I posted this as a reply to a specific problem, but then decided others might benefit from it being it's own topic.

New guy here, but I use to work in an auto electrical shop doing starters/alternators, troubleshooting etc., so I've seen my share of "issues". My '67 was stripped down by the PO, to the point of having the nose removed down to the firewall, frame off, blah, blah.. It was outside for a while and I believe that all the electrical gremlins I was experiencing were due to an intermittent fuse block.
Like you, my flashers worked sometimes, the headlights were *blinky*, radio stopped working, brake lights...the list goes on. As I trouble shot various issues, others would creep in. Fix one thing, and another issue crept up.

I had noticed rust on the bus bars on the rear side of the fuse block in the truck. If you look closely, the "tangs" that hold the fuses are riveted onto the bus bar from the rear. It also looks as if the rivets were brass and the tangs & bus bars were metal. There were also factory crimped on connectors that were breaking off, so I had to "rejigger" a couple of connections.

The PO had included some extra parts including a new (old) fuse block with ~ 3" of (color coded) wire sticking out, which helped make the transplant go smoothly. I decided to bite the bullet and cut the old fuse block out and install the "new" fuse block. I carefully cut, crimped, soldered and shrink tubed every wire back together.

EVERYTHING worked as it should when I was finished. I was shocked.
It's difficult getting in near the firewall if you have a clutch. I also have an electric trailer brake box and plow joystick on the left side. And since I have a Highboy, I was wedged in there pretty high & tight, whiffing soldering smoke....but worth it.

I believe that while the PO had it stripped down, the fuse block was exposed to the weather and it allowed the gremlins access, er, um...accelerated the aging process.

[basketcase0302]

pgk,

I had the same gremlins in my old style Bronco, (where my username originated from).
Painstakingly pulled the entire harness and replaced a couple of the rivets, (after cleaning the "eye" connections.

Never want to do it again, but darn sure will to keep a Ford living!

Basketcase