1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

starter and fuse issues

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Old 10-06-03, 08:44 PM
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starter and fuse issues

Hey guys,

Ok ill make this short and concise.

Tried to start car. After five or six trys the starter becomes inactive..not even a click...just silence.

Panel of fuses under dash look great.

Fusible links ....how do you know if bad?

Noticed my dome light wont come on.

Key goes in and the dash lights come on....turn key...silence. Light by the key wont come on.

Checked voltage at the ignition switch for the single black/yellow wire. 12V

Put tester end in the single BY wire at the starter 11V

Took starter to advance auto.....its dead.

Went to the junk yard and got 2 starters that do work and 5 fusible links.

Put starter on car.....silence.

Started replacing the 3 fusible links 1 at a time and now my key light comes on and no dash lights...wait now the key light wont coome on.

Does anyone know what the hell is going on?


Thanks for reading this rather long short and concise thread.


Scott
Old 10-06-03, 08:48 PM
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which fusable link are you replacing? all three? same fusable links? same sized fusable links?
Old 10-06-03, 08:49 PM
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check the fusable links? just test with light on both sides
Old 10-06-03, 09:33 PM
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yeah all three.

test with light? Youll have to excuse my ignorance ive never heard of a fusible link untill now.

Do they burn the cloth or does the wire inside just break?

I guess the top and bottom fuse links are suppose to be more flexible than the center one.
Old 10-06-03, 10:12 PM
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Originally posted by whitekingsnake
yeah all three.

test with light? Youll have to excuse my ignorance ive never heard of a fusible link untill now.

Do they burn the cloth or does the wire inside just break?

I guess the top and bottom fuse links are suppose to be more flexible than the center one.

I think the cloth part brakes too. I've seen it when it pops the cloth breaks. Now if it can break with out breaking the cloth...???? I dont know.

If you have a multimeter you can test the continuity.

Now as far as your starters concerned....have you thought about your ignition switch???

Bring all the starters from the yard and get them tested for sure that way you know its not the starters for sure.

Then next test your ignition switch.

1. Remove the pannels under the steering column the middle one w/ the vent thing. The black peice where the air flows thru remove that too.

2. Follow the wires from the ignition switch to the harnesses. There should be around 4 of them. Thats where the Haynes Manual comes in handy. Sorry, I don't know exactly which wires to test.

3. Insert the key and test the switch.

If thats good....

Then make sure your getting right power to the starter.

Test the wires and test the Ignition wire that sends the inital power to solenoid.

uuuhhhmmmm.....thats all that I can think of. Just make sure that your fuses are 100% replace them with new fuses if you have to.

Good Luck...


-Ryan


P.S Take breakes while working with it....sit down think about it...REMEMBER theres only one power source and from there everything bracnhes out, go down the line w/ process of elimination and make sure you go in order.

EAT ! ! ! can't think right it you have and empty stomach.
Old 10-06-03, 10:35 PM
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No kidding,

Sat morning i ate a left over danish and nothing till 8 that night.....started feeling weak and light headed. When I get started I just cant stop.

I traced the BY wire from the solenoid to the ign switch where it is soldered on the side. It tested 12V....and then underneath I tested that wire and it was 11V.

Tomorrow is another day for testing.

Last edited by whitekingsnake; 10-06-03 at 10:50 PM.
Old 10-06-03, 10:35 PM
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I have a fusible link were the wire inside the cloth broke, but the cloth stayed intact.
Old 10-06-03, 10:54 PM
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Thats what i was curious about because the top and bottom links feel real flexible.
Old 10-07-03, 12:25 AM
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the top and bottom ones are more flexable. they are a different amp rating than the center one. i know the center one has to do with most of the ignition stuff, including the alt. my first 7 i had i blew than link and my charging system failed. i didn't know, so i bought a new starter. sucked when i replaced that fuse and everything worked. grand auto almost didn't return the alt. anyways i don't have the haynes in front of me. that would be a good investment for anyone. a HAYNES manual.
Old 10-07-03, 01:18 AM
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Something else to ponder...
Old 10-07-03, 08:55 PM
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Well, the problem is solved.

The nut that i got the car from had done some wiring in it. Cell phone w/speakers and an audio system. Later the same day that I was trying to get it running, I got tired of literally moving wires out of the way so I could get in. So I started de-wiring the mess. He put wires into the fuse box and had them branching out to everywhere.

For some reason he spliced into starter solenoid wire. That wire is BY and runs up the steering column and plugs into a BR wire which is buried in the bunch of wires that run to the ignition switch. I took apart the dash underneath and started searching.He spliced into the BR not the easy BY wire before the connection and ran that wire to the fuse box which I had took out.....thus no starter.

This is just the start of it.

Thanks for the help guys....Scott
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