KRB

This has been an issue for a while but it is becoming a more persistant problem now.

When I shift through "R" (and only "R"), use the turn signals or delay wiper it shorts out the radio and tach. Its only a tempory short when shifted into reverse, the signal blink or the start of a wiper wipe. Used to be ocassional and intermittant, now it is more regular but not EVERY time. Seems like I have a short in a circuit somewhere and these unrelated actions complete the circuit?

Where should I start looking? Clock spring? Column wiring harness? Bottle of bourbon?

Hoping someone has experienced the same and can point me in the right direction. Haven't looked at the schematic yet to see if this is all on the same circuit or not.

Also, maybe completely unrelated (or maybe not?) the cruise will occasionally stumble. This is out of the blue and it recovers but will do that every now and then.

Any ideas folks?

Onemoparnut

Sounds like a ground being overloaded due to a bad connection. There are a few grounds under the dash I would start checking them. Then check the ground on the rad support near the battery.

dzl_damon

I too will support a ground issue. Add some extra grounds sometimes helps. When I hooked up my new pyro, it would keep my gauge lights on only. Running an extra ground directly to the pyro free'd up the problem. Instead of going back to the battery, the weak ground was backfeeding into other circuits.

torquefan

Have a good look at the backup lamp circuit for a short or overload; it may be related to any trailer wiring you may have. Disconnect the backup lamp circuit from the truck to isolate the problem and try it for a while.

KRB

All good stuff. I'll start chasing grounds, starting with disconnecting the back-up light. I have to change my trailer connector from a 6-way round to 7-way flat so that will clean that up.

Thanks guys!

KRB

OK, so I removed and cleaned the tailight/trailer ground. Didn't help but it needed it anyway.

Today I got in and the truck seemed to turn over just a tad slow - hard to notice on a Cummins that fires before a complete revolution. So then I notice the amp gauge holding at 9. After another start that barely didn't its holding at 8. Going down the road I lose radio and other stuff. Fortunately my shut off solinoid doesn't so the engine got me back home.

I swapped in another regulator and now everything is back to normal. No more gremlins - for now...