Electrical Problem... Fuseable link?

[big swifty]

Just Swapped out my old alternater for a new 190 AMP Single wire Model with an internal voltage regulator. while I was finishing up I accidently bridged the Positive and negative Posts of the Passenger battery with a socket extension. Now I have a No start and No "Clicking" situation. I have Power down To the Starter. Did I Short out My Starter and/or Solenoid? I removed the link and it has continuity through it So I reinstalled the Starter. Not really feeling like crawling under there again to pull the starter unless I have to!
Do I?

[NH2112]

Check for power at either stud on the diamond-shaped junction block on the firewall. If you have power at the starter but none at the junction block, your fusible link is toast.

[big swifty]

Got power at both Posts. Any other suggestions?

[britannic]

Bridging the battery terminals can also instantly discharge it to the point it won't have enough oomph to spin the starter or even energize the solenoid.

Try checking the voltage and if below 11.5V (minimum) recharge and try again - I know, because I did something similar and found the accidentally bridged battery had only 9V left in it afterward.

[NH2112]

What does work on your truck? Headlights, horn, anything not powered through the ignition switch?

[big swifty]

nothing powered through the ignition switch works. no gauges jump at all, no exterior lights...the interior lights work until i turn the dead ignition switch. they then go off and come back on in few minutes.

i dont have a gauge to measure battery voltage although i have it charging. it only shows as 25% of capacity on the charger's gauge. it's a relatively new optima yellow. the other one shows 100% capacity.

Any help before dark sets in...

[ 04-11-2004, 03:01 PM: Message edited by: big swifty ]

[britannic]

Keep charging it! If it never charges up, you'll know that battery was permanently damaged by the accident..

[big swifty]

charged overnight fully. Same thing occurs. interior light goes off when i hit the ignition and then "recycles". Did I blow the starter solenoid? Ignition switch?

Help

[gmctd]

Suspiciously like an open ground; measure directly across battery terminals; then from engine to positive terminal; the turn on lights, check same points again.

Same checks to the terminal at upper left-center on firewall, or alternator terminal - these come off starter solenoid batt terminal

[big swifty]

I'll check when I get home. I was thinking about seeing if the problem persists with the old alternator back in. The new alternator only uses the one wire...the plug goes unused; I'm still skeptical about this.

[Craig M]

Hi all

I am having a somewhat similar electrical problem with our 83 Suburban. Wife drove to the bank. Came back out and no start. Got it towed home. Batteries are two Optimas, fully charged. Nothing happens when we turn the ignition key. Door locks, electric windows not working. Dome light and headlights do work. Ignition switch ?

[gmctd]

Lights have specific fusible link, separate from ignition link and alternator link.
Try same checks as above.

[ropinfool]

I was having a similar problem a while back on my 83 K-20. Replacing the ignition switch fixed it. I took the old switch apart and it was fried! No contacts left. Good luck. John

[big swifty]

Ropin ...

Did you bridge your battery also?
Forgive my ignorance but how hard is it to replace ignition switch? I will check my haynes manual...can you give me a quick and dirty primer on how its done...any tips before I dig in.

[Quack_Addict]

If you bridged the posts on the battery, I am almost certain the battery is smoked. It wouldn't be the first time I have seen this happen on an Optima.

I had a similar problem with an almost new Optima battery (red) last year in a friend's truck I did an engine upgrade on (2.2L Toyota to 4.3L Vortec). I was cranking the starter when I heard a loud snap; then nothing would work - so I thought fusible link as well. When checking the battery with my Fluke, it showed something like 5V. We replaced the battery and all was good afterward. The battery had shorted out internally. Unfortunately, even though the battery was less than a year old and looked like the day it was bought, the vendor wouldn't warranty it becasue my friend had lost his receipt.

[big swifty]

i'll work on it a bit in a day too...just too swamped to get to it sooner.

thanks for all the suggestions. will keep you updated.

[ropinfool]

Nope, didn't bridge the battery. Sometimes it would work and sometimes it wouldn't. When it didn't there was no power to anything other than lights. Of course I was on the road at the time, it stayed running for almost two days. It wasn't that hard to replace, it's on top of the steering column. I unbolted the steering column and dropped it a few inches. It was time consuming as there is little space but not hard. Make sure and read the instructions that come with it or it could get frustrating. Good luck. John

[Quack_Addict]

I think it's the Neutral Safety Switch that is on top of the column, isn't it? That wouldn't kill everything electrical; just the starting circuit.

[gmctd]

Neutral saftety switch is topside of the column, next to the inside firewall.

Ignition switch is also top of column, just behing instrument panel - connects to lock cylinder pinion via push-rod and rack

[Quack_Addict]

That's right... I remember now; the push rod that moves when you turn the key goes into the ignition switch.

[big swifty]

I don't get it. Didn't do anything...went to start it and it banged right over!

Weird isn't it?