No Electrical - Figured it out

[Steffan]

Well after giving up on my windows I decided to find out why some of my dash lights are not working. Pretty easy fix, some of the bulbs had come out of position. Just had to plug them back in.

So I have all my lights working again and I turn the key to start the engine and poof no electrical, I mean everything went out, no power nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the engine won't even crank, the solinoid - no click nothing. I do not get it. What could cause everything to go dead? There is no master fuse.

Anyone have any ideas?

Could this be a dead short shutting down everything?

This has not been a good week for vacation, one step forward two steps back. I was hoping to have this car on the road by June. Oh yeah that is June of 2011 not 2012.

[Guest]

Hey Steffan,
I would first check the battery post and cables and make sure they are clean and tight! Then if that is ok I would make sure you have good battery to body ground and engine to body ground! Keep us posted!
Richard D. Hord

[simplyconnected]

...I would first check the battery post and cables and make sure they are clean and tight!...

That's what it sounds like to me, too.
Steffan, do you have a 12-volt test light? Even a cheap one will work.

[60 T-Bird]

Could also be a faulty ignition switch. Happened to me.

[simplyconnected]

Could also be a faulty ignition switch...

No, you would still have headlights because power goes to the headlight switch, then to the key switch.

[60 T-Bird]

Thank you for straightening that out...

[REM]

As already mentioned the most likely is the battery or battery connections.
Also be sure to check the pos. battery cable connection at the solenoid as that is very often overlooked and often the the problem.

[jopizz]

I would also check the yellow wire where it goes through the firewall on the drivers side. There's a connector there that can go bad or corrode.

[Steffan]

No Electrical - Figured it out

Thanks for everyones suggestions. I decided today I would take another look at it. I checked at the solinoid and no juice. I took a jumper wire and went from the positive post of the battery to the solinoid and wow I got power. A few weeks ago I had put one of the quick disconnects on the positive post of the battery for piece of mind when I am not around. As soon as I removed this and hook my positive cable direct to the battery everything worked. As my curiosity got the better of me I re-connected the quick disconnect and hooked the positive cable to it and again everything worked until I turned the key to start the engine and all power was lost. What the heck is going on? There is no type of breaker in this to make it kill power. Everything was tight and the knob was tightened down to give a connection and complete the circuit. This totally baffles me. Has any one have an idea what is going on?

I am short circuited in Canada.

[Guest]

Hey Steffan,
I don't know what kind of disconnect you have! I have one on "Christine" like the one below and have never had a minutes problem out of it! I would say it has got dirty or corroded inside. May need to be cleaned and apply some electrical grease from Lowe's, Home Depot or any home improvement store in the electrical department!
Richard D. Hord

[jopizz]

I always thought the quick disconnect was supposed to be on the negative terminal. At least that's what the instructions say.

[simplyconnected]

It takes two wires to complete a circuit, so breaking either side gives the same result.

As a side note, I bought one of those disconnects, but mine must have been incredibly cheap. It broke 'half in two' as they say in the plant. The thing looks substantial, but turned upside down, I could see the sides were really scant. That's where it broke.

I don't fool with them any more. Instead, I shut off the gas. Let them re-pipe my gas line to start it. - Dave

EDIT: I merged the original thread with the solution because they are the same topic. Richard Hord was the winner of this one. Good goin, Richard. You were the first to jump on the problem and you hit it right on the head.

[scumdog]

I always thought the quick disconnect was supposed to be on the negative terminal. At least that's what the instructions say.

Mines on the + side, works ok, never had a problem.

But any marginal contact (dirty/ loose) will still work UNTIL a decent load goes on, then it will burn out the contact points and all goes dead - until you wriggle the contact areas and the process will happen again.

Best to make sure the contact areas are clean AND tight.