I have a 92 ford f 150 that throws a big spark off the negative terminal on the battery after I get it started and try any electrical then dies immediately

Asked by autodunsky Apr 02, 2015 at 01:40 AM about the 1992 Ford F-150

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Is it bad grounding or a dead short? The
fuses are not blown. Please help

3 Answers

23,910

Excessive resistance, disassemble the connections and get them shiny clean then reassembled, and tight. a cable may need to be replaced, or its end replaced.

74,180

Dannyl is correct. The spark you see is the result of a bad connection on negative terminal of the battery and the ground wire attached to it. The current is arcing trying to find a source to ground. After clean the battery connections follow the ground wire to it's ground connection point on engine or frame. Conduct the same suggested cleaning operation at that point also and make sure the connection is tight.

23,910

I have literally seen it jump 2-3 inches. Cutting the crusted poorly designed end off it, dipping the cable in baking soda and water, watching it react, can show you what a battery that sweats around its posts can do to a cable. A fits all end is like $2.50, noco pads are like $1.50 and the car drives away in 30 min. A battery service is a normal menu item at many repair garages. I think we did 'em every few oil changes, maybe longer. to make them last we coated them with the protective spray or brushed a dielectric on them.

Your Answer:

F-150

Looking for a Used F-150 in your area?

CarGurus has 15,793 nationwide F-150 listings starting at $1,954.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    OJ
    Reputation
    42,450
  • #2
    Gene Arnett
    Reputation
    16,040
  • #3
    Rowefast
    Reputation
    15,840
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used GMC Sierra 1500
126 Great Deals out of 6,896 listings starting at $3,975
Used Ford F-250
6 listings
Used Ford Ranger
13 Great Deals out of 1,438 listings starting at $2,888
Used Ford Mustang
44 Great Deals out of 1,273 listings starting at $4,995
Used Ford Explorer
83 Great Deals out of 2,045 listings starting at $2,999

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.