lebeau

I need your help.

The battery on my 1980 RX-7 is fully charged, headlights are bright. Everything else is dead, my headlights will not retract, stuck in the up position. No dome light, no key buzz sound, no sign of power to ignition, fuel pump, wipers, etc.

Where do I start?

I am a mechanical engineer, not an electrical!!

perfect_circle

check your terminals, are they all corroded? if so cut/strip them and re-attach them. if their fine, check the connection at the starter, the battery cable goes from the battery to the starter i believe it is on the driver side at the bottom of the bellhousing, but it could be on the pass. side. check that. then check the ground coming off of the other terminal.

and also check all of your fuses. they are in front of the hood release. let us know!

gypsyvk

You may also want to check the fusible links. Their located on the drivers side strut tower. A small brown box with 3 wires looping out and back into it. I killed one of mine while welding on the exhaust (ignition was on) and had a similar problem.

lebeau

How are the fusible links checked, simple continuity test with meter?

Thanks for the replies....I miss my car and I am going to need to put her rest for winter soon.

Brett

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Yes, pull them out and check for continuity. Top and bottom ones are for headlights, middle one handles the rest of the car. If they are toast, the 2nd gen under hood fuses are plug and play. 25/60/25 amp top to bottom.

lebeau

Thanks for the help, I am going to go through it this weekend and will let you know what I find.

Brett

melany

I would have to say you need a new starter! Further, you can get her started by putting her in gear (1st or reverse) and popping out the cluctch several times. That should work.

Roundabout

iTrader: (8)

Did you even read his post?

OneRotor

iTrader: (3)

i agree. Look at the number of posts this guy has. I'm also calling Fusable Links. Do as Trochoid said and check them with a contunitity tester and replace with 2nd gen fuses.

lebeau

You guys are awesome. Got home from work on Friday and went right to the middle fusible link, as soon as I touched it mt headlights retracted! Pulled it off, cleaned up the contacts, reinstalled and the car fired up.

I would not have fixed this easily without your help as the Hanes Manual does not have much to say about fusible links which would have been my only other resource.

I owe you one.

Brett

speedracer_not

what size of buzz fuse replaces the fuse link attached to the starter?

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

I posted the sizes earlier.

speedracer_not

I know about the 30 45 30 amp fuse substitutions under the hood

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

45 might be a bit low since most 1st gen alts are 55 amps. Larger one goes in the middle, if that's what you're asking.