Help! I lost spark & lights
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: New Castle, Delaware
Help! I lost spark & lights
A little background...
I bought an '88 GXL with a blown rear rotor. I got a good deal on a used engine, so I pulled the old engine out. When I was done, I had to push the car into the street, so I temporarily hooked up the battery so that I could roll down the window to control the steering. We pushed the car into the street, but when I went to roll the windows up, the Main 80A fuse blew. It looked like the now-free wiring harness had touched the chassis where the alternator would connect. It was starting to rain, so I moved the loose wire away and decided to bypass the fuse by bolting the two wires together. Big mistake!! When I went to push the car back into the driveway, I was lazy and left the main wires bolted together. I must have blown something else down the line, because when I went to test the newly installed engine, it wouldn't start. It cranks, but I definitely doesn't have spark. Next, I noticed that the headlights wouldn’t go up or down. Also, I have no lights - the headlights, brake lights, taillights, and interior lights all don't work.
I have the FSM and have done a little troubleshooting, but no luck yet. My friend mentioned that I might have damaged a fusible link. I was hoping maybe someone had a similar problem and could please help me out.
Thank you!
I bought an '88 GXL with a blown rear rotor. I got a good deal on a used engine, so I pulled the old engine out. When I was done, I had to push the car into the street, so I temporarily hooked up the battery so that I could roll down the window to control the steering. We pushed the car into the street, but when I went to roll the windows up, the Main 80A fuse blew. It looked like the now-free wiring harness had touched the chassis where the alternator would connect. It was starting to rain, so I moved the loose wire away and decided to bypass the fuse by bolting the two wires together. Big mistake!! When I went to push the car back into the driveway, I was lazy and left the main wires bolted together. I must have blown something else down the line, because when I went to test the newly installed engine, it wouldn't start. It cranks, but I definitely doesn't have spark. Next, I noticed that the headlights wouldn’t go up or down. Also, I have no lights - the headlights, brake lights, taillights, and interior lights all don't work.
I have the FSM and have done a little troubleshooting, but no luck yet. My friend mentioned that I might have damaged a fusible link. I was hoping maybe someone had a similar problem and could please help me out.
Thank you!
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 25,896
Likes: 24
From: Rohnert Park CA
first, your bump has been deleted. Bumps are forbidden here in the 2nd gen RX-7 technical section.
2nd, you probably hooked up the battery backwards. Then bypassing the fuse (the only fuseable link there is) you probably smoked most of the electrical system. You will need to trouble shoot every single circuit.
2nd, you probably hooked up the battery backwards. Then bypassing the fuse (the only fuseable link there is) you probably smoked most of the electrical system. You will need to trouble shoot every single circuit.
doritos and peanuts
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From: south carolina
damn... tough brake. yeah, it sounds like mark has the answer. hope you got a good volt/ohm meter!!
check every single fuse and harness. you might even check the fuse block itself,, ive cooked one befor when i was in auto tech school. it took about 3 days of class time to figure out what had a melt down...
good luck dude!
check every single fuse and harness. you might even check the fuse block itself,, ive cooked one befor when i was in auto tech school. it took about 3 days of class time to figure out what had a melt down...
good luck dude!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: New Castle, Delaware
Darn, I guess you could say that this is God's way of punishing me for being an idiot. What would be the next weakest link? Could it be wiring, connectors, or a component? Also, I noticed that there were two wiring looms in the engine compartment. Do these components have anything in common with these looms? Thanks guys!
P.S. Sorry about the bump.
P.S. Sorry about the bump.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post