Lights on engine quits!

Hello. any advice would help as the garage is closed until Tuesday and
I am trying to figure out why my Safari quit after starting just when I
turned the lights on? I have been have electrical oddities such as the
clock resetting after every start up, and headlights flickering a bit
and now the van has power to everything except the headlights and the
engine wont turn over.
Thanks for any input.

 

Hi...

Not a mechanic, not even close. But seeing as you may be somewhat
stuck, I'll suggest a perhaps worthwhile do it yourself check...

You've got the two highest current draw devices in your car not
operating, so take apart and clean thoroughly the battery connections,
see if that helps. If not, look at where the batteries positive wire
connects to the engine block; make sure that connection is good.

Take care.

Ken

 

sounds like a short somewhere my guess would be the posative wire to yor
starer.also there should be a fusable link going to starter...if thas
not it might have altanator and starter checked when your garage opens
back up...and like the guy sais make sure cables are good and
clean.....good luck...

SCRAPPER.....

 

Ken - you obviously meant the *negative* wire to the engine block.

Though I am not familiar with that particular vehicle, if there are any
intermedaiate power junctions - such as a positive jump post (for jump
starting), check that the connections there are tight. Headlights
flickering and intermittent non-starts are classic symptoms of a high
resistance connection at the battery and the main ground, as Ken
suggested, and at the jump post if it has one.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

Battery may be kaput. Pull the battery and take it to the parts store
and let them test it for you. Resetting the clock on start tells me
that the voltage has been dropping pretty low on startup for a while.

If the battery is still good then start cleaning and tightening
connections. Battery first then trace the battery cables to their
final destination and clean them good there as well and see if it
starts.

Steve B.

 

i'm not trying to be a smart as. i'd go ahead and put new cable ends
and cables on it if you can afford it...good luck...and a happy new
year to you and all thats in this forum..

 

Hi Bill...

Arghhh, thanks for the correction... appreciate it

Usually warn everyone that I'm not a mechanic, sometimes warn people
that I'm old and stroke damaged. This shoulda been one of those times.

Thanks again, and take care.

Ken

 

clean battery cable ends