My friends 79` SA had its battery reversed, then I guess they tried to turn it on, anyways things in the dash don't work, blinkers. Headlights work I believe.

Car wont start (Main issue)

Were trying to get this car just starting so we can get it smogged in registered, help is appreciated.

 

check the fusible links under the hood and all of the fuses in the fusebox under the dash. if that doesnt help start looking (or smelling) for burnt wires

 

That crap confused me too. I'm used to having three 2nd gens and the - terminal is pointed towards the front bumper. On my SA the + terminal is pointed at the front bumper. ALMOST crossed it one day witch the jumper cables, but I noticed the yellow stripe on the - cable.

 

You might want to charge the battery or jump start it. The battery may have been discharged some when it was crossed.

 

The battery wasn't for the 7, the old one died and he just wanted to crank it over.

We put in a fully charged batt, wheres the fusible links? All the power wires look fine to me I just looked too.

 

Click the link in my signature for the service manual. Should be a nice description in there.

Fusible links are on the driver's side strut pillar.

 

Ok well I looked at the fusible links, I peeled back the wire covers alil and they're intact, I don't have a meter to test the wires atm.

My dad said that since my friend tried to start the car with the battery reversed, it broke a solenoid? that keeps the voltage going in one direction in the alternator... dunno if thats right, what you guys think?

 

Buy a volt meter. They can be found for $10. Very useful tool. Test the voltage at the ignition switch. Check the voltage at the starter signal wire and main starter power wire for voltage. If there is no power then you may need to buy a new "used that works" wiring harness or make your own new wiring for the spots not getting voltage.

 

Woo

Found a batt charger, got his battery charged and

The dash batt volt gauge (uses the rpm gauge till the engine is started..) doesn't work, lights work, turn signals.

it was 1am so I didn't try to turn her over, all the fuisble links looked fine so hopefully she starts fine tomorrow =D

 

There's no solenoid in the alternator, but there are diodes (also known as rectifiers, or to old-time car guys sometimes as "seleniums") that are used to convert the Alternating Current (AC) produced by the alternator into Direct Current (DC) which is what the car's electrical system uses.

Since a rectifier works by only letting electricty flow through it in one direction, that is probably what he is describing.

Usually, just reverse-biasing a rectifier won't kill it, unless it is severely over-voltaged. In normal operation the rectifier sees both forward and reverse voltages inside the alternator.

The voltage regulator, though, might not take too kindly to being reverse-voltaged - - it's designed only for DC of proper polarity.

 

Alright guys I tried to start her.

Turn key ANNND, click.

It just clicks, once. If you turn the key back to start again it'll just go "click"

Any ideas?

Stupid me forgot to tell ya

Fuses 1 and 3 are blown GOOD, look pretty decent sized fuses, I'm going to search for what fuse they are but yeah this is all the info I got atm.

 

Anybody knwo what the darn fuses are?

I've looked throught he FSM's and searched ~_~

 

Look in here: (download it first)

http://foxed.ca/rx7manual/manuals/19...ingDiagram.pdf

Fuse block and ratings on page 28

 

Ah, just says the amps.

It's possible the fuses were blown before but would they affect the starter?

Also the clicking sound is in the front of the car, I'm trying to "find" the starter to manually turn it over as I've been reading, do you get to it underneath the car?

 

Ok so I was reading the wiring diagram.

It's a small relay that goes through the key turned to "Start" i don't see anything related in the front!, what would be causing something in the front of the car to be clicking?
Edit

Oh maybe its the regulators?

 

Starter could be bad. Try tapping it with a hammer and start it. Or push start it (in a safe place).

 

Woo

I replaced all the fuses under the dash and walla everything seems to work, but!

The battery cables are hot as f$#* and they spark/smoke.

The voltage was 13, when I try to start it goes below 10, maybe 8.

What should I do about the wires, the connectors were kinda loose (to the wires not the terminals) theyre corrroded? I was thinking cut off the croded wires and use the bare thats covered, my friend says just crimp them tight together... ideas?

 

Replace main battery cables.

Also when you said fuseable links "look" fine you mean tested with meter or eyeball?

 

Ok well we got the cables fine now.

The car didn't seem to turn over (spark)

We took out the plugs and they looked rather dry

He took one plug and we turned it over, no spark. I dunno if you'd see the spark or not though...

How should I check to see if its sparking?

 

Ok now we get spark but I noticed for the second coil its not consistant, the leading i believe it is always sparks it seems, woo the car ALMOST started.

I'm actually starting to think its lack of fuel...

could anyone tell me how to 1) check if the fuel pump is working and 2) if theres any fuses for it?

Ive been reading the wiring diagram but i cant seem to find it, according to what i read its fuse is the BW (for auto) which also controls the starter, which i fixed that fuse...