I parked my truck last night and now it won't start. Battery checks out fine.Seems like a main fuse or breaker tripped if possible.Need to troubleshoot ,anyone have any thoughts ? Can't even drive it in to the mechanic.May have to be towed. Thanks iin advance.

 

Do any of the functions work? Why do you suspect a main fuse or circuit breaker?
Be as specific as you can.

 

hanky , nothing works , no dome light no ignition nothing......I'm starting with ground cable then onto hot cable then fuses etc, there doesn't seem to be a main fuse ,does that sound right ?

 

There shouldn't be any reason to have the vehicle towed. With a simple test lite you can trace the circuits for power. Go from the battery positive cable to the solenoid for the starter. Then it should go to a main fuse power distribution panel.Some vehicles had a high capacity circuit breaker at that panel or a fusible link that looks like a piece of regular wire , but is a smaller gauge to protect the electrical wiring in the event of a shorted wire somewhere.
It's pretty difficult to confirm good connections without actually moving them around and making sure they are clean. A test lite or voltmeter is pretty helpful with something like this. You could have a simple thing like a poor connection right at the battery cable connections. Cold weather temperatures usually bring these problems to the surface.

 

Thanks Hanky ,When you break it down it makes sense , I don't have voltage at the power distribution box so that tells me the there's a break in the red cable from the battery to that box.Which includes starter solenoid location.Mind you I have no lift and am piece mealing it between Dad duties etc.,I'll be back on it tomorrow.again ,thanks for the direction.

 

Think Hanky is right,, being a bad connection.

If you have no voltage at the solenoid then I'd suspect one of the battery clamps with a bad conection, or a ground cable problem.. If it had voltage at the solenoid, and nothing a the BJB, then the fuse links possibly. More so if it had been jumped backwards... If you have a set of jumper cables, cable up the battery and ground/Neg to the block etc, and run the Pos. cable over to the solenoid. If the connection/s on the battery are good, and the battery hot, would take out a ground or cable issue.. If you still have no power,, then either a cable clamp or the battery is bad..

 

Hayapower, thanks for the back-up. Let's hope we provided enough info to find and correct the problem.

 

O.K. guys , a day later and some quality time spent on the truck. Your suggestions led me to starter solenoid mounted next to the battery ,found exposed wires part of what's called the "fuse links" feeding power distribution box, two 12 guage wires pig tailed to famous yellow wire .Doesn't seem to be caused by short etc., but exposure to the elements and time. loaded with patina not good connection. Plan is to clean said wires , rebraid and insulate with heat shrink tubing & tape . Question , could this be all there is to it ? Plan is to try it and run. Will research replacement part but logic tells me this may be all that is required ? Any thoughts ? 13 years , 137k it doesn't owe me a thing , however if I can just get through the winter..........famous last words. Stay tuned for outcome. Thanks

 

Originally you stated you didn't have any voltage at the solenoid lug,, Correct?

The Pos. battery cable feeds current over to the primary solenoid lug,, the fuse links attach there and then feed current to the BJB.. Generally the links burn if a major short or jumped backwards, but should they be open (?), you can buy fuse link wire from the auto parts stores. It may not be color coded to the originals, so go by the gauge size if not..

If the covering on the links is 'blistered' or melted, and the wire blued or blackened, chances are its not a corrosion issue. Sometimes they 'look' ok, and a good tug from each end sometimes will part the wire covering or they stretch which indicates an open link

 

Gotcha Hayapower, I'll be heading over to the parts store today hpoefully put this situation to rest. thanks for the input.