No Crank, No Start.

[Rellincat]

I just replaced battery, and alternator is fine on my 1984 720 Pickup Standard bed/cab. First I broke my key in the ignition, but I can turn it over. I started it up in my friends driveway and with the key broken it sticks a little so it cranked for 1-1.5 seconds after starting I noticed a little smoke coming from the passenger side so I turned it off. Unable to determine what caused the smoke I tried to crank the engine again... nothing! When the keys is in the "On" position all lights and accessories work, but no crank. Did I burn out my starter or my solenoid? I can hear the fuel pump turn on.

[Draker]

Check fuses and fusible links.

[Rellincat]

Fuses seem fine. What are fusible links?

[KlassicMotion]

All you did was replace the battery and now you have issues?  Just checking, but are the battery cables on the correct posts?

A fusable link is a wire that is designed to burn up like a fuse when it receives too much amperage.  It's usually connected off the positive side battery cable.  Typically the after market links are a greyish blue, or grey color (I'm not sure what color the factory used), and it has a very thick insulating cover on it... something like 10 or 8 gauge with the insulation over the wire.

[datzenmike]

Well last thing changed... first thing checked.

1/  Did you clean the battery cables where they clamp onto the battery posts. If not do so now. LEAVE DISCONNECTED WHILE DOING 2/

 

 

2/ Remove the other two ends of the cables. The negative is bolted to the intake manifold near the thermostat or should be. The positive is bolted to the terminal on the starter. The starter draws hundreds of amps and a poor connection will often heat up and smoke, might even 'blow out ' the poor connection. Wire brush the metal clean and tighten the nut carefully. When done tighten the cables to the battery in 1/.

 

The fuses in the fuse box protect the wires to all other electrical components but the wires from the battery to the fuse box need to be protected too. An accident could crush and ground these and cause a fire. Fusible links protect the wires that provide power to the fuse box and are themselves a 'fuse'. Black are rated at 80 amps, Green at 40 amps. Replace with the correct rating. Do not use ordinary wire. .

 

The 720 fusible links are attached to the positive battery cable very close to the terminal. They are about 4" long with plastic connectors at each end. The 720 uses a GREEN and a BLACK link paired together and a single GREEN one beside them.

 

GREEN (paired with the BLACK) goes only to the ignition switch where it is turned on and off by the key to provide power to the ignition fuses 1-5 and accessory fuses 6-7. As this is for the ignition and you have issues with a broken key I would look here.

 

The BLACK link powers fuse 8-13. This is everything but the headlights that needs power at all times like clock, horn, interior lamp, brake lights.

 

The separate GREEN link powers only the headlights fuses 14-15 at all times.

 

Fuses are from left to right on the driver's kick panel.

[Rellincat]

Put in a new starter and its fine. Thanks for answers though. Oreilly's electrical testing is nice.