help please my expy is freaking out!

[doehunter]

I have a completely stock 2000 Expy. 5.4 engine, 2 wheel drive.
While driving home today I noticed the engine suddenly sounded like it was out of oil or something. Like valves clattering badly.
Then I noticed that everything on my instrument panel was going nuts!
The battery light was on. The tack and speedometer were at 0 and i was doing about 25mph. The other gages were at 0 too.
I threw it into neutral and coasted around a corner. The engine didn't die.
I put it back in gear and it still drove. When I step on the gas all of the gages and and the tach and speedo go to max and when I let off the gas they all go to zero.
WTF!
I got home and turned it off. I tried restarting and it still starts but the dash is still acting crazy. I'm stumped.
Jim

 

[BIG GREEN FORD]

Burning smell? Smell the computer . and the fuse box's both under hood and dash

 

[lve2wheel]

I haven't had my expy do this yet, but I did have my Sierra do the same thing. Honestly, check the alternator, and battery. My alt. was going bad it didn't just die real quick like they usually do. It would charge the battery enough to keep it running but because of low voltage everything else went nuts. Not saying it is your problem but its worth a quick look and its free to do a voltage check on the running system. Also the belt could be slipping on the Alt pulley. Usually its pretty obvious and has that running rubber electrical smell but not always. Worth a look. Let us know. If the voltage checks out fine. Theres a few other areas we can look at. Hope this helps keep us posted.

 

[doehunter]

The next morning I started it and everything looked normal.
HMMM!
I popped the hood anyway and found that the negative battery cable wasn't very tight.
I fixed that and it's been behaving since then.
Not sure if it's fixed or not. I guess I'll find out if it comes back.
thx