Deuce (M35A2) Electrical Issue.

[RedbeardTheZombieHunter]

OK, I've run the searches and couldn't find anything that pertains to the issue I have to chase down.
Tomorrow (Saturday), I'm heading up to recover my 72 AMG M35A2.
According to the soon to be previous owner, everything worked fine until one day he went to fire the truck up, and when he turned on the main power switch, there was nothing. No air buzzer, no juice to the starter button, nothing at all. He went on to tell me he hooked a jumper cable to the starter solenoid and got it fired up and running, but couldn't get power to anything else. He admitted to not knowing much about electrical and wiring so he couldn't give me any info about where the problem might be.
I'm pretty adept at wiring and electrical systems in most vehicles so I got a pretty good idea what to look for, but I'm going into this recovery fairly cold and would like to know if anyone has had this happen to them and what are the most obvious things to look for and where to find them. I have a TM and schematics saved on my laptop and will be taking it with me for reference, but if someone has any helpful hints to save me some time, I would greatly appreciate it!
If I have to run a temporary lead to correct the problem, I'm ok with that to get the green beast safely home the 500+ mile trip she's gotta make, I'd like to have the gauges and lights working as the majority of my drive will take place after dark. Let the suggestions roll!
Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions!

 

[goodguyzy]

sounds like it has dead batteries. Where are you picking it up at?

 

[RedbeardTheZombieHunter]

The batteries were up and had plenty of power. (He jumped the solenoid to start it) I'm picking it up in Santa Rosa California.

 

[JCKnife]

The main power switch on mine needs to be bumped sometimes. If the headlights work but no starter, no warning buzzer, I'd start with that switch.

 

[RedbeardTheZombieHunter]

The main power switch on mine needs to be bumped sometimes. If the headlights work but no starter, no warning buzzer, I'd start with that switch.

OK, That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for!
Now when you say "bump the power switch", do you mean tap or bump the toggle, or reach up under the dash and tap on the switch housing it's self?

 

[JCKnife]

Eh, with mine, when it doesn't work, I just quickly flick it on-and-off a couple times and it starts working again.

It very rarely happens, or else I would have replaced it by now.

 

[porkysplace]

Do you have a 24v test light ? your going to need to find out what wires have power and what don't . It could be a bad master switch ,loose wires , dirty battery cables , bad grounds or any number of other things , until you get there and see what you have it's all guessing . What's your back-up plan if you can't get lights working or other problems along the way ?

 

[DUG]

Find out if the headlights work. We broke down at summer camp last year. Everything was perfect, parked to unload and it wouldn't restart - everything was dead but the headlights. After calling DH and troubleshooting over the phone we discovered the engine mounted, Ford style starter solenoid was bad. DH gave me the instructions on how to bypass it and we were fine. As a matter of fact, even though I have the new part, it's still bypassed.

 

[RedbeardTheZombieHunter]

Do you have a 24v test light ? your going to need to find out what wires have power and what don't . It could be a bad master switch ,loose wires , dirty battery cables , bad grounds or any number of other things , until you get there and see what you have it's all guessing . What's your back-up plan if you can't get lights working or other problems along the way ?

I do have a 24V test light, and I'm sure I'll need it. If worse comes to worse, I'll also be bringing some spare wire, electrical tape, zip-ties and some crimp-on connectors. I can run a battery lead to a toggle switch and connect to the headlights and runners if need be. As long as the engine keeps running, I'm fairly confident I can get her home with a minimum if headaches.

 

[dmetalmiki]

Ive had that problem, and found the cure was to remove the switch, dissemble it and CLEAN the (burnt (corroded)) Contacts. then with a little switch cleaner also and some electrical "lube" re-build" the switch and all was working fine again.. If you take suitable electrical tools you could do this on site in about 1 hour. Good luck. with the collection. and return home journey...<or just replace the switch>..do you have another truck to "borrow" one from.

 

[RedbeardTheZombieHunter]

Ive had that problem, and found the cure was to remove the switch, dissemble it and CLEAN the (burnt (corroded)) Contacts. then with a little switch cleaner also and some electrical "lube" re-build" the switch and all was working fine again.. If you take suitable electrical tools you could do this on site in about 1 hour. Good luck. with the collection. and return home journey...<or just replace the switch>..do you have another truck to "borrow" one from.

Unfortunately no on a parts truck as this will be my first endevor into MV ownership. I'm picking this truck up as a project and using the M105 included with the truck to build a bobber. Once I have her set up pretty much the way I want her, she'll be a ticket out of California for my wife and I.
As for rebuilding that switch, I'm pretty confident I can handle that as I've rebuilt several other kinds of switches from Caddy power window switches to cheap toggle switches that probably should have just been replaced and would have if I had the money at the time. I've made a life of repurposing things and fixing things that were considered by others to be unfixable. This is why I've earned nicknames like "McGyver" and "Tim The Tool Man". lol I owe my life to my Victorinox Swisschamp and my own inginuity.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Make a couple of short alligator clamp jumper wires and jump the ignition switch. Use your schematic and see where to connect them. You'll need 2 separate jumpers, make sure they are at least 14 gauge, toss them in the tool box and re-build your switch when you get home. Just my .

 

[RedbeardTheZombieHunter]

Make a couple of short alligator clamp jumper wires and jump the ignition switch. Use your schematic and see where to connect them. You'll need 2 separate jumpers, make sure they are at least 14 gauge, toss them in the tool box and re-build your switch when you get home. Just my .

That's a good idea Jonathan! Clipping on a couple alligator cips will be much easier to do in the dark than trying to rebuild that switch with a flashlight in my mouth! lol

 

[daveks63]

electrical trouble

Hi, I was wondering if you maybe able to help me with my electrical problem I am having on my M35A2. When I hookup the jumper between the batteries it arks so bad that it will melt the terminal on the battery. I have pulled the power from the main switch and started button and it still happens. Does anyone have any other ideas?

 

[Stretch44875]

I would say a battery is installed wrong.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Hi, I was wondering if you maybe able to help me with my electrical problem I am having on my M35A2. When I hookup the jumper between the batteries it arks so bad that it will melt the terminal on the battery. I have pulled the power from the main switch and started button and it still happens. Does anyone have any other ideas?

Are you sure you have everything connected properly? You need the batteries wired in series, Negative of battery A to the truck frame. Positive of battery A to the Negative of battery B, (dogbone.) Positive of battery B to the starter solenoid. I believe you should work from left to right. I hope you'll have some safety glasses on while doing this task. Batteries blowing up in your face are no fun.

 

[steelandcanvas]

That's a good idea Jonathan! Clipping on a couple alligator cips will be much easier to do in the dark than trying to rebuild that switch with a flashlight in my mouth! lol

Glad to be of assistance. Do you need a schematic?

 

[RedbeardTheZombieHunter]

Saved the schematic on my laptop and I've almost got it burned into my brain. lol I had to run a hot lead from the battery to the main power switch. After finding my lift pump wasn't getting power, I ran a lead from the hot side of the starter button to the lift pump. Now when I hit the switch, everything gets power and the truck starts easily and runs great. I have a few more repairs to make to the wiring and some body work before I sling a little paint on this thing, but that'll happen after I do the bob job. I'm so looking forward to having a 4X4 that makes all the flashy, fancy and super-expensive 4X4s look like raised hooker-wagons! LMAO! I'm also looking forward to easier steering and quicker braking inherant with bobbing a deuce. Also the tighter turning radius will be a welcome change too!
I can hear the purists groaning now "Not another bobber!", but I have my reasons. I refuse to be a target for CHP commercial enforcement who'll want to nail me for "driving out of class" even though my 3 axle truck is way under the 26,000LB mark. That debate continues to rage on so rather than push my luck, I'm just gonna sell an axle and eliminate any chance of beeing on the wrong side of the debate and having to pay a fine.

 

[daveks63]

I have the batteries are hookedup right . i was driving the truck for several days then all of a sudden this happened. It melted the terminal off the battery. Every time I go to hook it up it arks really bad like a dead short.

 

[steelandcanvas]

I have the batteries are hookedup right . i was driving the truck for several days then all of a sudden this happened. It melted the terminal off the battery. Every time I go to hook it up it arks really bad like a dead short.

Start by physically tracing the positive cable from the batteries to the starter solenoid, look it over real good.