okay so messing around with it again today. brought out my ford and jumped it and everything started up perfect as can be. running 14.3 volts while on. i do not get any type of sharp voltage drop when trying to start the truck at all. I dont know if i am corretly checking between the battery and the terminal (bolt?) on the starter but i am getting absolutely no reading as well. also after starting the truck by jumping it and letting it idle for a while after turning it off then trying it again i have no dash gauges, dummy lights, odometer, nothing at all when the key is in, no beeps no raidio. so i tried removing the battery cable and replacing it, and still the same result. another thing i noticed while putting back the battery cable is that there is no crackle or spark, or any normal little elecrical sound while replacing the cable. I think I might be dealing with a short somewhere else? the only other thing i can think of is that it has something to do with an alarm the truck had on it and has been since removed.