dead truck

[vintage]

Heard this one before? 1994 RRC, started 100% of the time last 10 years use of this second owner truck. Drove through a puddle Saturday. After that truck was dead. Nothing when turn key. No cranking, no dash lights, no power to windows, no can switch out of park...nothing. Electrical silence. However, dome light works, as do door locks. Flummoxed in Philly.

THX if any ideas.

[spacemutt]

How deep was the puddle? Sounds like a dead main ecu to me.

[vintage]

...the puddle was trivial, couple inches deep, hit it at 20 - 25 mph. Truck continued to run until I shut it off. One observation I did not mention: before complete electrical silence the dash lights did light up for a few seconds on first and second attempt to start. By the third attempt, all power associated with turning the key in the ignition was gone.

[dieselrangerover]

maybe a bad ground... seems like i'm constantly chasing grounding issues

[AndrewG]

There's two metal relays in the passanger footwell or under the passanger seat depending on the year. These are the main relays, I'd start with checking power to these.

[joshua.mcguoirk]

Check the battery.

How much voltage does it have while parked?
How much voltage does it have while attempting to start?

Sounds like a coincidence.

[ccec]

Hang in there Vintage!

This one is def. a Ghost-in-the-machine job.

I'd say crawl under and look to see WHAT could have gotten wet with the puddle episode.

After that, look towards ALL the electrical connections that are affected by water into the floorboards. There's all those relays in those two kick panels and moisture LOVES to hang out there.

Other that that, this is a possibly a major ECU dealie, but not convinced yet. The ECU is so far away from the possibility of a puddle-crossing affecting your Rangie that it has to be something else... perhaps a wire leading to the ECU is being affected/crimped ???

Please keep us updated. I once had a non-start issue that was traced back to a bad coil ground.

--ccec

[ccec]

Vintage,

After my "posting the obvious" last night, I broke out my shop manual this morning.

This is the three-inch thick book that covers 1990 - 1994 RRC's... but, oddly enough, the wiring diagrams are only presented for 1990 and 1991 model years. Other years are found in a separate pub...

ANYWAY, what I found is that you should check these items:

1. The actual positive terminal post on top of the battery, There are a cluster of fat wires that lead to various places. Of course, remove and clean the actual post and connection. Maybe your radiator has been spewing fluid onto this terminal and the connection has been compromised. Same with the negative post, clean and scrub.

2. Nothing will light up if the "Ignition Load Relay" is toasted. According to my book, this is located under the dash, on the steering column. What's also involved, though, is fuse A-8, and the LH stop lamp (again, according to the book). So check those.

3. While your at it, check ALL the fuses in the fuse panel, on the lower dash, passenger side.

4. There should be a big wire leading from the battery to the positive side of the starter solenoid. Might as well trace it, and make sure it's not messed up.

Good Luck,

ccec

[MJL]

You have probably blown one or more of the fusible links. If you follow the wires from the +ve battery terminal you will find they go into what looks like a canvasy covered loom that runs along the top of the RH inner wing (fender). If you peel this all back you will see that the wires have fusible links in them - one or more of these has probably corroded over time nad finally blew.

I've owned 2 1994 RR's and thsi has happened to both of them.

Mike