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Dead Battery....


abbylind

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I parked my 77 620 for a bit and installed a 2 way radio in the console. Went to start it and it was a no go. The battery was so dead I couldn't even charge it up. Off to Walmart and installed a fresh battery. Still no start. Checked the fusible link....bad! Replaced link....still no start...cleaned the connectors on the new fusible link....Ah HA! Truck started A-OK. Left the truck overnight...next morning no start again! Couldn't recharge this battery either. Jump started the truck and started looking for what was drawing the battery down. Checked the two way radio and found it was drawing 200 milliamps when the radio was turned off...OK time to tie it through the ignition circuit. Thinking I found the problem put the truck away for the night. Next morning....ARGH! no start! Jumped the truck again and noticed the brake light was on! Pulled the brake light switch...checks OK...? I looked at the bracket on the brake pedal and there's a hole where the switch presses against the bracket.....What the hell!? Digging around the floorboard I find a small plastic button that fits into the hole. It appeared it was crumbling apart and finally failed after 39 years.

I found a curved head bolt and put in the hole...brake light should work for another 39 years! 

So check that small plastic button on your brake petal and make sure its not falling apart.

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I went through all those same issues last year!  Epoxied a piece of flat steel in place, although a coin is a great idea.  And we had an alternator wiring issue - the dash warning light was not hooked up so the exciter in the alternator was not activating, thus not charging the battery.  Check your battery voltage before and after starting.  You should see it jump to 14.5 or so when running.  

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So, I'm replacing the master cylinder in my 521 tonight.

Getting intimate with the underside of my dash tonight.
Low and behold...there is a piece of duct tape on the pedal.



That will not suffice!

Krazy Glue plus an Oregon state quarter equals...awesomeness!

 

 

IMG_20160304_212122726_zps49pwhu3u.jpg

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So, I'm replacing the master cylinder in my 521 tonight.

 

Getting intimate with the underside of my dash tonight.

Low and behold...there is a piece of duct tape on the pedal.

 

 

 

That will not suffice!

 

Krazy Glue plus an Oregon state quarter equals...awesomeness!

 

 

IMG_20160304_212122726_zps49pwhu3u.jpg

Or if you're a contortionist, pull the pedal and weld the hole closed.  

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