Well, first off...new to the group and this forum. I have lurked around enough of these forums and finally decided to join one. So thanks in advance.

Now the issue.
I have a 1986 e250 cargo van with a l351 v8. the wiring is a mess from a previous motor swap or something not sure.
My van also has a smartstart breathalyzer unit installed in it.
I have a new starter, starter solenoid, and new battery with new terminal cable ends. I replaced 2 of the fusible links off of the starter solenoid, and will have to go back to the auto store to get more since i bought the last of them :-/


So i turn the key to the on position and the dash lights go on, breathalyzer initiates and i pass my breathalizer test and turn the key to start and im getting a half or 2 half cranks and then total power failure. EVERYTHING, lights, heat, dash breathalyzer. Now this is on a COLD start, i seem to be able to turn the key to off and then back to on, pass breath., then start and get a good solid cranking until it starts.

Then, if i take my van somewhere, turn it off and then restart it very soon after while still warm, it doesnt want to go...very poor cranking, or total power failure. Now if it's poor cranking i cant seem to get it to start without a jumpstart(possibly draining the battery by failing to start?), if i get a total power failure, it seems to work if on my second attempt i turn to on, pass breath, then instead of turning the key to start i get out and arch the starter solenoid i can -sometimes- get it to start.
If i just drive straight home, park the van and dont attempt to start it again until the morning, i pretty consistently get the initial power failure, then it cranks right over on the second cold attempt.

Now i have had the alternator tested, battery is new, new starter and new starter solenoid, from my angle, all of the wiring to these 4 items is good and clean connections.
The 2 fusible links i didnt replace are the 2 that i believe are running to the drivers side, maybe EEC and...? These 2 fusible links come from one Olink on the starter solenoid, then the wire splits into two wires where the fusible links are located, one at 16GA and one at 18GA, yellow/blk and orange/blk(not sure which one is the 16 and 18 right now but hopefuly you get the idea)

Also asked the people at the breathalyzer installer guy to check the wiring, he said it couldnt be responsible for what i am experiencing, so thats all i know.

Sorry if that seemed like a long posting for what is hopefully a simple answer, but i figured i would lay it all on you instead of bouncing posts back and forth,

Thanks in advance,
-James

am i barking up the right tree with these fusible links?
if they dont fix it what else?
also going to grab the haynes manual for its wiring diagrams from the library today

 

ok...now all of the fusible links have been replaced...tried to start and restart the van a few times this evening after putting the last two links on. and it was find...but i dont think i will really know until tomorrow when i take it on a test drive and get everything running and warm..
Also...stopped at the gas station today to get gas...and couldn't get it started again. very sluggish cranking with no official start...like the battery was dying.
So i unhooked the battery cables and sat for a few minutes, hooked battery up again and she fired right up...not sure if disconnecting the negative had anything to do with it but thought i would let you know..
thanks again,
-james

 

not sure if i'm talking to myself at this point but....
ok....
test drive failed today..
went through all of the wiring dealing with the ignition...couldnt quite get the steering column down to get the ignition box off but i did find a funky patched wire that goes to the "start poistion" in the ignition box. traced all of my wires from battery to starter solenoid, to ignition, out to the ignition module, distributor and back again. Im not sure if i have a Duraspark II or Duraspark III ignition system...anyone help me on identifying that? and where would the EEC microprocessor be located and approximately how big would the EEC microprocessor be if i do have one?...
Also....looking for information on testing my ignition module if that could be the faulty part.

Again, i seem to have enough to start the vehicle on cold starts, but struggles on the warm starts.
Also, disconnecting the negative terminal for a minute then reconnecting seems to allow me to start.

Thanks again to someone who is reading this :-D
-james

 

Welcome to the sight and no you ain't talking to yourself. you have a loose connection and that's why your truck turns over slowly or loses power when trying to start it. you replaced the cable ends but didn't replace the cables. Those darn things over time corrode inside the insulation and you can't see it or tell there's a problem with it and what you end up with is just what you're describing. So try replacing the cables and see what that does or doesn't do and make sure that they're tight