I was jumping my car because something drains the battery in 1 day and it turned over i time and i heard a pop , like a fuse blowing in the engine compartment. now nothing works not even dome light.I cant find a fuseible link. please some ideas. thanks

I'd start with checking the battery cables, then check your wires at the starter. At least thats where I'd start..

Year?
Motor size?





R

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Doc here,

First, The Alternator Diodes are bad most likely, With a Forward biased diode (leakage to ground) through one or more diodes, will cause the battery to go dead overnight PLUS not fully support the system going down the road..(low battery voltage) Get back to that in a moment........but now a word from our sponsor folks..

As for the loss of power..Provided you DID nothing but attempt a jump start before it all went into "blackout Mode" you have opened a fuse link from the main battery terminal on the solenoid to the fuse buss system which supports all the power to the vehicle..this wire is a 10 gauge, usually orange, pink, or purple..has the Link in line on that wire..you MAY have to untape a few feet of harness at the starter to find it or look for a melted section.

Also, Traditionally, GM will place them at a single terminal binding post for power wires AT or NEAR the battery, OR at the power terminal on the horn relay..so check there also.

After you locate the link and replace it...confirm power has returned to the car..If good on to the first problem..When we return..How to test for parasitic Draws........but now a word from our sponsor..

OK, First (assuming you have cured the link problem) Start and run the car..let it warm about 5 minutes..At curb idle (choke open) with no load, (everything OFF, no dome lamps, hood or trunk lamps, heater off ect..) Measure across the battery with your DVOM set to DCV scale, V X 20 or higher, It should read between 13.95 and 14.4 Volts DC..If lower, like 12 volts or under, this indicates a charging problem. Rebuild or replace the alternator as required..

Next with everything that draws power OFF, remove the battery cable, Configure your DVOM for AMPS scale, A X 10 OR the VERY highest scale on your meter (usually 10 amps) Place one probe on the battery cable, the other on the battery terminal, Note the reading..THEN scale Back the scale until the readout ALMOST pegs the meter..this will be your true reading.

On a MODERN Vehicle , with computer, CD/RADIO with active presets, Alarm system, seat memory's Etc.. Will draw between .3 and .8 (less than an amp) to be acceptable..above that indicates a parasitic draw..

Go for the lightning round first..Disconnect the alternator First..then observe your readings again..If it falls within spec, the Diodes in the alternator have/are failing..Rebuild or replace as needed..

If it checks good, next pull all the fuses and relays from your fuse buss system, Observing your meter, (which should be within spec with the fuses out..) plug them back in one at a time..until the meter "Shoots up" that is an offending branch circuit..troubleshoot and repair/disable as needed..then continue on (you may have more than one bad circuit)..until all fuses and relays are back in place..AND the draw is less than an amp.

IF you get no drop in the monitored Amperage with both unplugged, you have a non switched , non fused source consuming power at all times (like an added Audio Power amp or other aftermarket addition) that you will have to track down on your own visually or hand over hand..(a PITA sometimes to find!)

That should set it straight..Thanks for playing..you have been a great contestant...Johnny, tell them what they will receive for playing...

Doc

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Thank you so much for the help I hope I find the problem .Just a note:It is a 68 firebird with a stroker engine, hei flame thrower,1 wire alt, painless wiring,moved battery to trunk,looks to be regular delco starter I thought I blew the 50 amp fuse under the hood but it is fine.cables are new and tight.usually i just disconnnect the battery so it does not drain, and it fires right up. but this time while trying to jump it because I forgot to disconnect the cables it turned once and everything went dead . I hope I can find a fusible link on the purple wire coming off the solinoid.Could the solinoid or alt have blown ?Thanks again.

When it is running the volt gauge always reads 14 amps.

Doc here,

The Solenoid COULD be fried..BUT..it should not have an effect on the car's primary Power if wired correctly..as those two SHOULD be going to the same terminal on the solenoid..the fuse link will be (usually) right after that terminal on the 10 gauge wire..

A possible exception , and you didn't mention the battery was moved to the trunk..is that you have a REMOTE Solenoid, AND the remote solenoid is wired so as to only provide power to the front solenoid when activated..

To figure this out..see if the solenoid in the front has 12 volts on it just sitting..and does the battery cable come from the trunk straight to the front solenoid (with no stops) AND are there two wires (battery cable, and a 10 gauge wire) at the solenoid battery terminal.

IF it has a remote solenoid, that one could be bad..It will be a Ford Type Solenoid mounted near the battery..measure that one for power, sitting, and in the start mode on the "S" terminal..


Doc

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Doc here,

If you mean you have a Voltage gauge, and it's reading 14 volts, and it reads 14 VOLTS..you have alternator output..But that still does not clear the alternator diodes..the regulator diodes may be the culprit..do the draw test as I outlines..that will include or eliminate the alternator.

Doc

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check the starter solnoid

Doc here,



IF wired Correctly, the STOCK solenoid should not affect the Primary Power to the HEI, via the Ignition switch.


STOCK GM WIRING STARTER SYSTEM
(The "Hot at ALL Times" wire at the Ignition Switch , IN REAL life goes to the "NCA " "B" terminal on the solenoid in the illustration for location ease and fire proofing for fuse link..)


POWER FULL TIME TO FRONT SOLENOID
(normal type remote solenoid wiring)

The main Buss Support and Ignition "Hot At All Times" is On the same terminal as the Positive battery cable at the solenoid..

THE equivalent circuit would be removing the cable and 10 gauge wire completely from the Solenoid and attaching them together with a nut and bolt never involving the solenoid..BUT the fuse link traditionally is ON that 10 gauge wire, If the power to the car is STILL dead..

AGAIN, as I said, the exception to this would be IF your remote solenoid CUTS power to the Starter solenoid at all times when not cranking..In which case, the remote solenoid May be the culprit or the buss wire is on the wrong terminal..


REMOTE SOLENOID CONTROLLING POWER FORWARD
(power to starter BATT terminal Only in Crank mode)

The typical is the first illustration, (even for stock non remote just remove the extra solenoid..and the wire to ignition switch goes on the Batt terminal on the starter..and the "s" would go directly to the "S" on the starter..) So yours may be either of them..most likely the first drawing..IF the BATT 10 gauge is missing (not reconnected , or link is open) your power to the HEI and the fuse buss will be dead...that is the wire you need to concentrate on..IT MUST HAVE POWER from the BATT on the solenoid to the Ignition switch, AND to the FUSE BOX...or it won't start, run or have any working electrical systems.

Doc

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I dont have a remote solinoid .I brought starter and alt to napa and they tested good. I ran new alt wire to pos on starter , new red 10 gauge hot wire. new purple wire to solinoid. I spliced them at the firewall because I will probably wreck something else if I touch the fuse box. Anyway with a full battery I opened the door and the dome light came on ,I tried to start it . When I turned the key all I heard was the starter try to engage and everything went dead again.There are no fuse links on my new wires right now so that is not the problem. iI do have a 50 amp under the hood and after everything went dead I bypassed that to see if that was the problem , but still no power.
Is there some kind of switch or something in the starter or solinoid that would get reactivated when they tested them at napa ? Or could the ignition switch or neatral safety switch be the problem.Anything in the hei that could cause this. And when they test the starter, would that show if the solinoid had problems.Lastly I have heard of excited the starter , what does this mean. I do not have an electrical tester so if you have any other easy ways of testing these componets that would be great. I have a tester with a probe and a wire with a clip but I dont know how to use it. I am electricaly challenged.

Ps I ran the 10 gauge red wire from the splice at the firewall to the starter pos.

Hey Doc you told another person to run a jumper from the batt to the hei , would this tell me anything about my problem ? Thanks a lot.

Doc here,

First , if you do not have a meter..GET ONE..and learn to use it..you'll not find problems without one..you can get one at rat shak for between $9.95 and $50.00 ..Simple and easy to follow directions. Without one your JUST guessing..

Second if you don't have a remote solenoid, that may be part of your problem, especially if the wire is under gauge cable feeding the starter from the battery..That cable MUST be 0/0 or 0/1 gauge..about the size of the wire feeding your house, or welder cable) If it's standard battery CABLE it's too small for a 25 foot run..(4 gauge CABLE)

Go to the area YOU made the splice, sounds like you have a bad one..when you put it under a LOAD, it blew apart..confirm that it is good and power is present on both sides..

The BATTERY CABLE is NOT 10 gauge, IT is 4 GAUGE....IS this what you were referring to?

The Positive cable is 4 gauge STARTER to the battery..the power support wire IS 10 gauge STARTER to The FUSE BUSS and IGNITION switch.

IF you spliced the 4 gauge CABLE (NOT WIRE) ..remove it and get a new one..it's no good now.

IF you are bypassing links or running without then (except for short periods of testing), Given the present MESS of your harnes..your courting a MAJOR fire..a Battery to ground can produce up to 1000 AMPS..

if a jumping spark can be maintained IT can cut the frame in two..just like a plasma cutter..only about 900 amps more power!!!

GET , INSTALL and USE fuse links on all power feeds to vehicle systems (except the main cable to the solenoid, they don't make them that big)..

IF you don't believe a 12 volt battery has that much power, look at the main feed to your house FUSE BOX..It's probably 125 amps..MAX..this runs your whole house!! Next look at the CCA rating on your battery.it's probably between 600 and 1000 AMPS...or 5 to 10 times more current than your house uses!

IF the starter and Alternator tested good, Then your done with them..I didn't think the problem was there anyway..It is wrong wiring! To test the starter All that was needed, was to crawl under it and with a screwdriver, jump between the "B" terminal and the "S" terminal, it should crank..IF not then you first need to CONFIRM the battery CABLE is providing 12 volts to the starter..AND that the "S" wire has 12 volts on it when the key is in the "START" mode on the key..IF you have that, then the solenoid is bad..but if the starter was tested, it is good if the starter passed the test..

THE IGNITION Switch COULD be bad..but to CONFIRM that you first need to CONFIRM you have 12 volts coming from the solenoid to the MAIN fuse buss FEED (10 gauge red) The wire I've BEEN telling you to check..which ALSO goes to the Ignition switch "HOT at ALL Times" or switched Ignition power..THEN out to the HEI..

There is no other switch that cuts POWER to the HEI or car electrical..THE NSS switch ONLY disables power to the "S" wire on the solenoid when not in P or N..so the SOLENOID will not activate BUT nothing else..te cars lights and HEI would still have power..as well as the MAIN FUSE BUSS..

NOTHING in the HEI will disable power to the whole car..just spark to the plugs..IT gets its power from the Ignition switch, which gets its power from the "HOT AT ALL TIMES" wire when switched on..(The MAIN FUSE BUSS wire I keep telling you to check ) THE starter solenoid SHOULD have 3 wires on it..TWO a 4 gauge CABLE and a 10 GAUGE wire that go to the big bolt..and a 3 RD wire that goes to the "S" terminal on the starter..IF you ONLY have 2 wires here, That's probably the problem..

GET and Learn how to use a meter, Learn how to read and interpret a diagram, It's not rocket science..If you can read and follow a straight line, you can do it..IF you feel this is above your ability''s I would suggest a good Auto electric shop do the repairs..so you don't burn your car to the ground..ounds like a 5 to 10 hour job for them..and I don't know what the rates are in your area are, Ours is $125.00 an hour..If you can't read a meter, or read a schematic..you PROBABLY won't successfully be able to install a NEW whole body harness either..

Take the batery down and have it load tested. It may be bad or have bad cells..be sure the CABLES are tight and CLEAN! that will kill power also.

Doc

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Doc here,

IT WILL give full time spark to the HEI..if you crank it it will start and run, you have to pull the jumper to shut it off..

IF the fuse link or wire is melted open, with the key on, it will also heat up the rest of the car from BACKFEED..when you shut it off, the whole car EXCEPT the HEI will go dead again..this tells you the fuse link is open, or the wire from the hot at all times is melted open..

Doc

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