No Lights! Help please...

[HardCorps79]

So I've been driving the M1009 as a daily driver for about a month now with no real incidents. Then tonight I drove to the grocery store. When I came out, and fired it up, I flipped up the service light switch and pulled out the knob. No lights. No headlights, no taillights, no turn signals, and no horn. So I flipped the switches and checked the blackout lights, too, which had been working to this point. No joy. All of the idiot lights on the dash work, but not the ones connected to the service light switch, i.e. the speedo, fuel guage and volt-meter. I checked the fuses and they're all fine. Checked the battery cables- they're all fine.

Only weird thing is today when I fired it up to come home from work, the voltmeter didn't max out the green as usual. It kind of hovered around the low side. Normally if I give it a little throttle, it will jump up. No joy. So I shut it off, restarted it and everything was fine. At the same time, I had a good amount of belt squeal on start-up for a few seconds.

I've checked the FAQs, the Wiki, and the -20 TM and haven't been able to find an answer. With the weather nice, I'd normally say screw it, piddle around and take the motorcycle, but that's dead too right now.

Any bright ideas?

 

[joeypushjr1]

not to sound silly but did you investigate your squell .... tightn belts or look for streached belts...etc

 

[HardCorps79]

Yeah, it just started squealing with the warmer weather, and I plan on replacing all the belts next week, but nothing was slipping that I could see. The belt squeal is only on start-up. Both alternators are spinning and no gen lights glowing at me. Problem is, with the volt-meter indicating good, the lights are still a no-go. (It's possible I completely misunderstand the electrical system on this vehicle...).

 

[Dodgeman1941]

Do you have power to the head light fuse. Our truck had a dead wire between the firewall and the fuse box and all of the things you listed was dead. Use your wiring diagram and then run the wiring either forward of back from that fuse.

Lew VB

 

[twright]

Check your head light switch ever one fo the cucv I have had the belt squeals until the glow plugs turn off they draw a lot of amps .

 

[StreetbikeDepot]

Check for a good connection on the terminals in the fuse block for the headlight fuse. I have a loose terminal on mine in the M1009 and it'll kill all the same stuff you metioned.

My alternator belt squeals on my M1008 until the glow plugs fully cycle off, BUT its because the belt is stretched and there is no more adjustment available, I'll be changing that out this week on mine as well.

 

[HardCorps79]

So, basically, I'm electrically challenged and don't have the first clue what I'm looking for (even if I did have a multimeter to check the circuits- which I'll be buying tomorrow). I can't read wiring diagrams either (working that too!).

So, can anyone break this down Barney-style? What am I trying to find? (As in, check "this color" wire running from the "doo-hickey" to "the other colored" "this-shaped" "thingy", in layman's terms.)

The TM mentions replacing switches as a common solution for a lot of the problems. If this should turn out to be the problem anyone know where to get one? (Guessing NAPA doesn't stick this setup...)

And I'll be replacing the alt belts tomorrow, just in case.

But I just have a feeling this is something more "wiring-oriented" than "wrench-oriented".

 

[joeypushjr1]

also ive seen the actuall wire off one of the black out switches come loose or ggo bad id check the connections

 

[HardCorps79]

*bump*
(My wife says "Just come to bed, you can't do anything until tomorrow", which is true, but I'd sleep better if I thought I knew what I needed to do. And I'm a SS addict, anyhow, so what's another few hits off the pipe gonna hurt, eh?)

 

[StreetbikeDepot]

Go out there and wiggle the 30 amp headlamp fuse and see if they start to work.

 

[HardCorps79]

Go out there and wiggle the 30 amp headlamp fuse and see if they start to work.

Yeah, just tried that. Nothing. I stuck my head up under there and check for anything loose. No wires hanging, broken, melted or otherwise suspicious looking. All the connections on the service and blackout light switches are good. Re-checked the fuses to be sure I hadn't missed something. They're all good- none blown or melted.

So now what? Check the power from which of the wires to where?

 

[StreetbikeDepot]

well....if it where me I'd check the terminals at the fuse with a test light to make sure you have power there, depending on that outcome you can go a couple different directions.

Pull the dash bezel off and check the power at the service light switch, check the continuity of the switch while your there to make sure it works, same for the headlight switch.

 

[HardCorps79]

well....if it where me I'd check the terminals at the fuse with a test light to make sure you have power there, depending on that outcome you can go a couple different directions.

Alright- that will happen tomorrow afternoon, probably. Then I'll get back with y'all. Thanks for all the help so far.

So- if I have power at the fuse terminals, would that mean the switch is good or bad? I'm not sure which direction the power is flowing. I understand a circuit (I've wired a few houses in my day), but not the mapping in this vehicle. I obviously have power from the batteries/alts. And the rest of my electrical is good- dash warning lights, heater, fan, etc. It seems to be just this one circuit that runs through the BO/SL switch. (I'm determined to not just quick fix this, but to understand the problem, too for future reference.)

Again, thanks to all who have commented thus far.

Semper Fi

 

[itsjustdan23]

some vehicals have a relay in the fuse block in the hood, sadly there really isnt a way to check and see if they work. GM and Ford are pretty good about using the same relays on many other things in the truck. example. a/c relay and abs relay are the same in some vehicals. but if you rip your dash apart may as well replace the bulbs while your in there. a lil prevenitive maintance. also workin at an auto parts store for the past 4 years ive seen bulbs break there filiments just enough to not make contact and then the driver would hit a bump and the lights would come on until they hit another rough part in the road. so in worse case you may have a broken wire internailly and causing you to not have lights, those are usually caused by bending the wires in multipule ways over the years. try the switch first. its goin to be the easiest thing to replace. then if that dont work start rippin your dash off and checkin for power to all the lights. i hope this helps a lil bit, happy hunting and good luck.

 

[DooDooBrown]

I had his problem with my truck. Every light interior/exterior would go out. It was a loose connection to the blackout light switch. Mine would cut out at the worst times...like on a gravel road, in the pitch black of night, at around 40 mph.

 

[HardCorps79]

Alright- so even though the fuses all were complete, I decided to replace them. And guess what- I now have headlights, taillights and blackout lights. Turn indicators/hazards are still a no-go.

So, I'm going to replace the flasher fuses tonight, replace the alt belts and test the batteries (it seems like at least one may be on its way out). What I'm wondering, though- is what would have caused all of my fuses to become unservicable without being blown? There seems to be some other electrical issue- and I don't know for sure yet whether the flasher fuses will fix the turn signal issue.

I'm going to do some hunting and pecking with the multimeter this weekend to check for shorts and drains and hopefully find something. Thanks to all for the help. Stay tuned for further updates.

Semper Fi

 

[HardCorps79]

So I replaced every fuse in the box including the 2 flasher fuses and now I have lights and turn signals again. Incidentally, I also now how my underdash courtesy light (added bonus!). Still the question stands- why would the fuses go bad without actually blowing? Everyone I replaced still looked fine- no blown circuit, no melting, nothing. I'm glad I'm back on the public roads, but am a bit concerned there may be an additional electrical problem. Any advice on what to check at this point?

 

[zb39]

Fuses, I know I don't know