My son bought his first car, a 1985 Dodge 250 Pick-up trk. He paid $550 for it and it is in overall good shape. I helped him pick it out and he is very proud of his purchase. And I think it was a good choice.
Heres the problem, since I am teaching my son how to turn a wrench Iam supervising and he is doing 90% of the work.
We were putting a new battery in the trk and he put it in backwards, hooked NEG to POS and vis versa. Now the trk has no power. The hazards work but nothing else.
We checked all the fuses. No melted wires. No melted fusable links. Nothing.
The key was in the run position and I was wiggling wires and the ignition came to life, he tried to start it and nothing. Three hours later we are very frustrated and we still have no power. No lights, no turn signals, no radio, nothing but the hazards.
Any ideas?

 

spike555 I did the same thing to a 72 model Jeep back in the day and I had the same result, if I remember the fix was with the starter and the solenoid. I know these are different beasts but maybe a worth a look???

 

Thank you, I will look into that tommorow. I was kinda leaning that way but wasnt sure because the lights dont work. Does the power run to the starter and then to the rest of the trk?

 

I'm not sure about that, but I do remember the turn signals never worked right after that little episode, but it was a farm Jeep anyway so we never really went after that bug, but the headlights did still work. Sorry couldnt be more help.

 

You were very helpful, thank you. Now I have a place to start.

 

Sorry couldn't be more help but maybe it will get you in the right direction.

 

I just looked at AutoZone.com and they want $12 for a starter relay, so I think that we will start there.

 

Spike it is strange but the electrical current in the Dodge P/U does run directly through the starter this way all avail power goes to starter. HOPE this helps Tim

 

Thanks Tim. That helps. We are going to replace the starter relay and if that doesnt work then the starter. The nice thing about this trk, junk yard parts. The relay we will buy brand new, but the starter will be used.

 

Well good luck and let us know what you find the problem to be.