STILL CAN'T FIGURE THIS OUT!!!!!

[bubb316]

O.K.I have asked before but can't figure this out HELP!!! Here we go.I have a 71 long bed 302/c4.The motor has about 340hp,stock dist. with pertronix elec.conversion,and pertronix flamethrower coil.The starter is a ford racing mini it has been tested twice and is good.The alt. is a a chrome one from Tuffstuff it has not been tested.O.K. I have gone thru 3 batteries,I have tested just about everything I can think of.When i get the truck to run it sounds great,when i shutt it down it wont restart?NOW this just happened the other day I started it up and let it run for an hour checked my lights now when I got in it to pull it back in Iput the brake on and my tach went to 0 when I let off it went back to 950!I put the brake on same thing (lights were on) I put it in gear and it died!I shut the lights off hit the key and nothing I had to jump it to start it?ANYBODY PLEASE!!!!!!!!

[basketcase0302]

bubb316 on Fri Mar 09, 2012 10:49 am
O.K.I have asked before but can't figure this out HELP!!! Here we go.I have a 71 long bed 302/c4.The motor has about 340hp,stock dist. with pertronix elec.conversion,and pertronix flamethrower coil.The starter is a ford racing mini it has been tested twice and is good.The alt. is a a chrome one from Tuffstuff it has not been tested.O.K. I have gone thru 3 batteries,I have tested just about everything I can think of.When i get the truck to run it sounds great,when i shutt it down it wont restart?NOW this just happened the other day I started it up and let it run for an hour checked my lights now when I got in it to pull it back in Iput the brake on and my tach went to 0 when I let off it went back to 950!I put the brake on same thing (lights were on) I put it in gear and it died!I shut the lights off hit the key and nothing I had to jump it to start it?ANYBODY PLEASE!!!!!!!!

More information to start with. The 302 only had I believe 285 HP stock out of the box. So if you have a 340HP "302" it aint' a 302! It's some roller / stroked version of a 302?
Definitely sounds electrical though, at first "guess" from your post.

[PhantomoftheBumpside]

You have the your brake lights run from switched coil power lead under the dash?

[bubb316]

O.K. Well no the motor is not stock,but ignition set up is pretty straight forward.All the wiring is new(e-z wire kit)I will check the brake light wires under the dash.But is this also the reason my battery keeps getting drained?

[basketcase0302]

The alt. is a a chrome one from Tuffstuff it has not been tested.O.K.

I would start by taking the alternator off-and down to a parts store to have it tested. And look at your grounds real...close as there are several on the truck.

All the wiring is new(e-z wire kit)

Then I'd pull the fuses from your "EZ wire kit" one at a time, (with a meter on the battery) to search for a dead short? you should see at least 12 volts when running @ the battery-usually more like 13-14 volts showing it's charging.

[SmoothJ69]

I agree, check your grounds..tach should not zero when you hit the brakes . good place to start 'fixing' the ez wire.

other than this how do you like that wiring? i looked at those kits when I had my 65 but ended up just redoing it all by hand.

[bubb316]

I really like the e-z wire,it was easy to install.I am just about to pull my hair out over the the other stuff.

[basketcase0302]

Ground from battery to engine block.
Ground strap from intake manifold to firewall of cab.
Ground strap from front DS frame rail to radiator support.
Ground of solenoid itself to fender well very good, (bolted solid-not loose).
Grounding of starter itself, (not caked with oil/dirt/grease) to engine solidly.

A voltage meter will be your friend here. Not too expensive and not too hard to learn either.

[bubb316]

O.K. Well I went back looked at all my grounds they are fine,all brand new metal to metal no paint or rust between them.I also added an extra one.Replaced the voltage regulator,had the stater tested and since I have two new alternators had them tested both are good.I can jump start the truck and it runs great,but the volt meter starts at 12.5 and slowly goes down???Like I said before everything is new,the wiring is a E-Z wire kit is there something that this truck needs that the new wiring harness doesn't have?I know that everything is as should be,but the charge isn't getting to the battery??

[QC]

Your alternator may be good, but it is not charging when it's in the truck. 12.5 volts is your battery voltage, it should be over 13 volts when the truck is running, if it's not your alt. isn't charging. Check the wireing to the alternator.

[70-360fe]

I would get the alt. checked if it's ok I would look at the voltage regulator. Maybe switch to 3g alt.

[bubb316]

GOT IT!!!!!!! Had two wires at the regulators crossed..........DAMN GLAD THATS OVER!