1948 Ford have power but nothing else
- Thread starter Blase
- Start date
cadillac512
Well-known member
At the solenoid, the main power wire is hooked to the side with the - battery cable. From there it goes to the ammeter, then on to the lighting circuit breakers at the upper driver side firewall behind the parking brake lever. From there power is distributed to the other circuits.
A link to VanPelt's drawing:
http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/...pics/Flathead_Electrical_wiring1946-48car.jpg
Terry
A link to VanPelt's drawing:
http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/...pics/Flathead_Electrical_wiring1946-48car.jpg
Terry
You may have more than one issue. The starter circuit is pretty straightforward. If you have power to solenoid try jumping it to see if starter engages. If it does you either have a bad solenoid or starter button lost its ground. Apply ground to small solenoid terminal and if starter engages that tells you it’s either the button or wire at fault.
Merc Cruzer
Well-known member
Did it run before and this is a new issue or is this an new restoration?
small post in the center of your sol. should activate the starter if you temp. ground it. Neg cable from the battery should be attached to oposi9t. side of your soll. from the starter cable. Should be a heavy gauge wire from that side of the Sol. that goes to a breaker behind the firewall.
Flathead Fever
Well-known member
Is this 6v or 12V, positive or negative ground. Just trying to figure out if someone started switching things over and never finished the job. Like "Merc Cruiser" asked, was it working like it currently is?
Don't get overwhelmed by the entire wiring system. Break this down into sections, starting with the starter circuit. Get it working and then move onto the next section. Watch a Youtube video on using "voltage drop testing" to find open spots or high resistance in circuits. I cannot mention this enough, this how you fix this stuff fast. Watch several of these voltages drop videos until it makes since.
What nobody ever explains to you is why the meter reads voltage while energising the circuit. It's because voltage is like water "pressure". Normally that pressure would flow through the good circuit and not try and flow through the meter, the cicruit has less resistance than the meter and the meter would read zero voltage. If there is a blockage in the circuit (resistance) that voltage "pressure "tries to find a way around the resistance and then goes through the meter and you get a voltage reading. If you see a voltage reading more than .1V to .2V on a wire or connection, you have a problem located between the two contact points of the meter. It might be a little more of a drop voltage across the starter solenoid or a switch.
If you have 12.6V at the battery terminals and then activate the starter circuit you should be able to take your voltage meter leads and place them along the circuit, across the ends of every cable, wire, switch and components and record each voltage drop. They "must all" add up to the 12.6V. If not, there is still resistance you need to find.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMXENKujYtc&t=3s
Don't get overwhelmed by the entire wiring system. Break this down into sections, starting with the starter circuit. Get it working and then move onto the next section. Watch a Youtube video on using "voltage drop testing" to find open spots or high resistance in circuits. I cannot mention this enough, this how you fix this stuff fast. Watch several of these voltages drop videos until it makes since.
What nobody ever explains to you is why the meter reads voltage while energising the circuit. It's because voltage is like water "pressure". Normally that pressure would flow through the good circuit and not try and flow through the meter, the cicruit has less resistance than the meter and the meter would read zero voltage. If there is a blockage in the circuit (resistance) that voltage "pressure "tries to find a way around the resistance and then goes through the meter and you get a voltage reading. If you see a voltage reading more than .1V to .2V on a wire or connection, you have a problem located between the two contact points of the meter. It might be a little more of a drop voltage across the starter solenoid or a switch.
If you have 12.6V at the battery terminals and then activate the starter circuit you should be able to take your voltage meter leads and place them along the circuit, across the ends of every cable, wire, switch and components and record each voltage drop. They "must all" add up to the 12.6V. If not, there is still resistance you need to find.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMXENKujYtc&t=3s
Last edited:
1931 flamingo
Well-known member
I had a similar problem. The battery cables at the ends had become corroded (hidden by black elec tape by previous owner). Physically ck them out.
Paul in CT
Paul in CT