Ok, this is posted to get some ideas for tomorrow before troubleshooting begins.
A friend of mine locally is rebuilding an 88 tII for me. He's rebuilt the motor and a LOT of other thingss. He's just got the car running and is buttoning everything back up. Anyway, car was started today and pulled into the shop...and everything was fine. He closed up the ecu, put the seat back in...goes to start the car and ...nothing...no lights, start, nothing at all. Now I'm sure he'll figure this out tomorrow (It was late and he was calling it quits for the day), but I'm just curious as to what this could be? He does know that the previous owner had an alarm installed in the car which apparently is quite old and was a hack job from the sounds of it. Also, the SAFC has several connections that were coming undone (he's redoing all this by the way) Anyway, he thinks it may have something to do with the alarm in it as the first time he started the car a week or so ago...all the lights wanted to flash on and off. He's planning on removing the entire alarm system tomorrow. So my question is what are some other things to look for. It may be something simple or it may not be...I just figured I'd ask tonight and get some ideas. I'm gonna stop by after work tomorrow and see what he's come up with.

 

the alarm or safc wouldnt not make everything go dead in the car, check the main fuse and the possibility of the battery getting shorted to ground, I would think you'd hear the battery shorting out though.

 

^yea my first thought was a main fuse...or the main ground coming off. I haven't seen the car however...he called me tonight and told me briefly what happened. From the sounds of it's an electrical nightmare in this car...everything was done wrong or half-assed (all electrical tape that has all but crumbled off)

 

May just be a loose batt terminal.

If the main fuse blew, you'd still have headlights and all of the batt hot bus items...

If it's an alarm that kills absolutely everything, then there must be a relay or contactor near the batt main cables...

 

^I know he said the alarm defintely had a bunch of relays...so that may be an option. It's not like most of the new alarms with built in relays...I'd say just from the glancing at it...there were probably half a dozen relays up under the dash near the alarm brain.

 

I went through a similar problem recently, so i know the wiring diagrams pretty well right now
If EVERYTHING is dead then the problem has to be before the main fuse. I'd check the battery cables and make sure that you're not shorting out somewhere between the battery and the alternator, or the battery and the starter. Those are pretty much the only two components that are hooked up directly to the battery.

 

If he hasn't figured it out by the time I get there tomorrow afternoon...I'll be sure to tell him some of these ideas.

 

When everything in my car was dead except headlights, warning lights, and the Hold light, I came to find out it was my main fuse. Of course don't do what I did and destroy it.