Car won't start

[Smock67]

OK heres the story. The other night i was putting in my new battery and when i connected the battery cables there was a metal on metal contact and it sparked and smoked a little bit i disconnected the battery and fixed that problem and reconnected everything and go to start her up and nothing. No turning over no clicking no nothing. So I'm thinking i shorted out my battery.

I get my battery tested and its fine. So i talk to one of my buddies and he thinks I may have shorted out the solenoid for the starter. So i change that out and there is still nothing no clicking no nothing. No i go out and get a new starter after i get that tested it was fine but the guy recomended getting a new one cause it was close to dying. Well i put the new starter and and i still got NOTHING.

I'm all out of ideas, i'm covered in grease and dirt and im actually a little pissed off. So if anyone has any advise on what could be wrong it would be greatly appreciated.

[streetk14]

How did this short to ground occour during the installation? I would have to assume that something was damaged during the short, and it is just a matter of figuring out what. Check the battery B+ and ground cables and make sure everything is ok. I'm thinking that you may have damaged one of these cables.

You could also check power at the starter when attempting to start the engine. The large terminal should have B+ voltage at all times, and the smaller solenoid terminal should get power only when cranking (or when the key is turned to "start" position). I hope you have a decent volt meter or at least a test light. Does everyhting else in the car work (ie. headlights, stereo, etc.)?

Let me know what you find.

Andy

[68nate]

Most likely let the smoke out of a fusible link. Use a test light to check for power on both sides of the fusible links. Assuming this is on your 67 firebird, There are 3 fusible links at the voltage regulator on the drivers side radiator support. They are the wires with the black plastic cylindrical things on them. There may also be a fusible link at the starter solenoid. Check both sides of the plastic a few inches away from the plastic for battery power.

[whytry]

I was gonna suggest looking for the fusible link as well. Possibly on the radiator support by the horn relay. Do you have power to anything? Headlights, dome light, etc? If not I would think its a fusible link burned up somewhere...

[David Pozzi]

Also there is a small wire from battery + cable that runs to a terminal block on the radiator support right in front of the battery. If it was left off or damaged during the battery install, nothing inside the car will work. This wire runs over to the horn relay, which is a main power buss for the car.
David

[Smock67]

Thats the cable that caused the spark i have no idea what it attaches to. Also when trying to change my fuses on my fuse block most if not all are covered with overspray. So i don't know which fuse goes to what and what amps they are at.

Also i had the key turned to the on position and using my test light i only have power on the + cable on the battery and starter side. No other power what so ever on the starter and no power on the alternator either.

As far as the fusible links are concerned i cannot find these anywhere.

[HILROD]

Your fusible links are part of the power feed wire that feeds the car. If your car is like a Camaro it is fed from the smaller wire coming from the pos. cable to the junction block on the core support.

[Smock67]

My buddy came over and we pretty much found out that the only power in the entire car is from the positive battery cable to the starter. There is no other power whatsoever coming from anything in the car. Plugged in a headlight and that doesn't work, Ignition isn't getting power. Everything is dead but the starter and battery. Now I'm really lost and if I can't get the car running i may have to leave it in fort myers when i move in less then 2 weeks.

[paul67]

I'm sure theres a fusable link from the starter to the power of the rest of the car.

[carkrazy1987]

Time to look at some wireing diagrams and follow threw with a test light and volt meter and find were ur open is at. Looks to me the first place i would check to see if u have 12v is at the junction block were the brown wire from the battery leads to. if u have 12v proceed on down the line and continue looking for 12v. if no 12 v present at junction block us a jumper wire from junction block to battery and see if problem is fixed.

[David Pozzi]

Check the wire I mentioned, you can see it in this photo, left side next to the battery corner. My wires are now red/orange connecting to the junction block, Factory battery cable wires are dark grey or black. The wire from battery + cable, connects to this radiator support junction block, then goes into the headlight harness across the radiator support to the horn relay.

The second photo shows the voltage regulator, see a large dia wire connected to a smaller wire with large insulated splices? This indicates there is a fuseable link. It can burn out internally and not pass current even though the outside looks OK. A fuseable link is a short piece of wire of smaller diameter that sacrifices itself to save the rest of the harness.

Also check your ground straps from firewall to engine valve covers on each side, if those are off, the engine may have ground but the rest of the car may not. Your battery negative cable should run to the engine block, also some battery cables have a small ground wire that grounds to the radiator support next to the battery.

David

[Smock67]

I have no wire that runs from my battery other then the negative to ground on the engine block, and the positive wire to the starter. I do not have that other wire running and ground on the radiator support.

[HILROD]

That wire on the core support isn't a ground. It's the power feed for the whole car. There is usually a small wire coming from the positive cable to hook it to. The only other place tha car could get power, if it was already re-done is at the starter. Do you have the wires shown in the second pic? Mainly the one with the black piece, (fusible link), inline?

[David Pozzi]

Try connecting a wire from battery positive to the junction block.

[Smock67]

I finally found the problem. Pretty much the dude who did the car before me butchered the wiring. I found what looked to be a ground but it had a red power wire feeding to it. I hooked up the wires together and go figure it turned over.

Thank you everyone who helped out I really appreciate it now i can take my car up to Tampa with me and keep working on it. First thing is to get The AAW wiring kit and possibly rewire the car when funds allow but until then i'm going to enjoy driving it.

[whytry]

Glad it all worked out and your able to get it up and running. I remember when I had to fix somebody's wiring nightmare in my car... It was the biggest headache!!!

[David Pozzi]

[Smock67]

Ya When we started pulling some of the heatshrink wrap is when i really saw how butchered the harness is. Only problem is i dont have the time to rewire it now nor do i have the fundage.