Electrical problem
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 978
Likes: 1
From: Scranton Pennsylvania
I am running out of options. I guess I will try a new battery. I just felt that if the battery currently tests OK and prior to the arc,it worked OK. I thought it would not be the problem.
Weather is gonna be crappy this week so I hope to have it running for next week.
Weather is gonna be crappy this week so I hope to have it running for next week.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
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Army
If you 'welded' the plug wrench to the battery tray for "a few seconds" as described - that is about as bad a thing as you can do to a battery. You may well have toasted it. When you put a new battery install a cutoff switch if you haven't already. Then use it when monkeying around in the engine bay...
Le Mans Master
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Indeed, guys here can only envision troubleshooting a properly wired car with a defect somewhere. If you have a horn button under the dash and that fellow helping you....you need to get the car to someone who knows what he is doing. If the switching side of the horn now works only through the ignition switch then it's wired wrong off the bat. You do not want these old cars wired wrong as they are not well fused to begin with. Losing an old Corvette to a harness fire is a shame & a crime.
Flashing a battery positive post to ground will not kill a healthy battery nor should it kill anything else that is connected to the battery as the short occurs before the rest of the wiring. A dead short across a battery for say 5 seconds will distort plates and as Frankie says, battery of blessed memory. Are you sure it was the battery post the wrench hit or could it have been something else? (Alternator stud).
Dan
Last edited by dplotkin; May 2, 2016 at 11:27 AM.
Le Mans Master
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From: Norcal CA
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I thought there was clearance sure enough there is no space. Its the small things that can bite you. Check everything once more from the ignition switch, starter, regulator and alternator or generator. Check the wires going to starter and make sure all of the wires are good. No hot leads touching ground.
Also, you can get a battery cutoff switch at your local FLAPS.
Thats what I would do...
BTW, Frankie helped me think this through when he told someone what volts should be reading during starting, sitting and running.
Last edited by jimh_1962; May 2, 2016 at 11:39 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2014
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From: Richardson Texas
It has been a bad month with the car After the battery was charged, I started/ran the car five or six times. All was fine. Then one day the car ran real rough. I thought a float might have stuck in the carb. After some tinkering,(tapping it with a hammer) I got it running. After all of the cranking, I thought I could smell gas in the oil and the plugs
were a little black. That;s why I changed the plugs. In answer to your question, the battery seems fine. It's a ten year old Optima. Once I get thru this mess, I will look at replacing it
were a little black. That;s why I changed the plugs. In answer to your question, the battery seems fine. It's a ten year old Optima. Once I get thru this mess, I will look at replacing it
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 978
Likes: 1
From: Scranton Pennsylvania
Removed the battery this morning. Took to get tested. it is 100% charged and putting out 12.5 volts. A friend recommends pulling the starter and bench testing it. I am at a loss!!!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Greenville, Indiana
This thread is a little tangled up so it might be helpful if you, one more time, went over what works and what doesn't. You don't have to pull the starter to test it. You can jumper across the top, large post on the solenoid that the positive battery cable connects to and the small terminal next to the block with the purple wire. That should make your starter spin and crank the engine. If it does, you can rule out the battery but that would give some here a good place to start.
You can also turn on the headlights (if they work) and then blow sound the horn. If the horn is a long, loud blast, the battery is good enough to at least make a noise at the starter.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
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From: Freehold NJ
Optima batteries have a different load testing procedure than regular batteries and it must be followed to get accurate results. I work in a dealership and I brought in my red top and tested it with two different load testers and it passed, but my Interstate dealer happened to come in and saw it and when I told him I was having a problem he took it back to his shop to test and it failed (no shenanigans either, trustworthy guy I've dealt with for years), put in a new battery and all was good. If your battery is putting out 12 volts and you have no power in the car, then I'm thinking you have a wiring problem in your car and a bad battery is not your main problem at least, but don't assume the battery is good if it was just given an ordinary load test.
Le Mans Master
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From: Egg Harbor Township NJ
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Without reading ever word in all the posts and looking at the wiring diagram for the 63 dash harness I thought I'd add one thing here.
It may not be appropo to the problem. Their is a Circuit Breaker that feeds power to the ignition switch as well as a few other components in your car. If it by some strange way got damaged and did not reset then you would be without power to the ignition switch.
It also feeds thru a few fuses... On my 65 it is located above the driver side kick panel ..and if your have power windows there is another one above that. The power window CB is the Lower one and the main supply circuit is the upper one.
This might not be the problem... Just My $.02 worth.
But As stated in the other posts ... You could have damaged the battery. The short was between your wrench ground and the Positive Bat terminal.
Current should have only taken that path.
It may not be appropo to the problem. Their is a Circuit Breaker that feeds power to the ignition switch as well as a few other components in your car. If it by some strange way got damaged and did not reset then you would be without power to the ignition switch.
It also feeds thru a few fuses... On my 65 it is located above the driver side kick panel ..and if your have power windows there is another one above that. The power window CB is the Lower one and the main supply circuit is the upper one.
This might not be the problem... Just My $.02 worth.
But As stated in the other posts ... You could have damaged the battery. The short was between your wrench ground and the Positive Bat terminal.
Current should have only taken that path.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 11,310
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From: Bowling Green, Kentucky
Without reading ever word in all the posts and looking at the wiring diagram for the 63 dash harness I thought I'd add one thing here.
It may not be appropo to the problem. Their is a Circuit Breaker that feeds power to the ignition switch as well as a few other components in your car. If it by some strange way got damaged and did not reset then you would be without power to the ignition switch.
It also feeds thru a few fuses... On my 65 it is located above the driver side kick panel ..and if your have power windows there is another one above that. The power window CB is the Lower one and the main supply circuit is the upper one.
This might not be the problem... Just My $.02 worth.
But As stated in the other posts ... You could have damaged the battery. The short was between your wrench ground and the Positive Bat terminal.
Current should have only taken that path.
It may not be appropo to the problem. Their is a Circuit Breaker that feeds power to the ignition switch as well as a few other components in your car. If it by some strange way got damaged and did not reset then you would be without power to the ignition switch.
It also feeds thru a few fuses... On my 65 it is located above the driver side kick panel ..and if your have power windows there is another one above that. The power window CB is the Lower one and the main supply circuit is the upper one.
This might not be the problem... Just My $.02 worth.
But As stated in the other posts ... You could have damaged the battery. The short was between your wrench ground and the Positive Bat terminal.
Current should have only taken that path.
One is for the headlight motors (only). Nothing more.
The second one (if it is there) is for the Power Windows.
Each circuit breaker is good for 40 amps total load.
Larry
Last edited by Powershift; May 2, 2016 at 09:56 PM.
Le Mans Master
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From: Egg Harbor Township NJ
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There are only 2 factory installed circuit breakers that I know on these cars anywhere close to where you describe them:
One is for the headlight motors (only). Nothing more.
The second one (if it is there) is for the Power Windows.
Each circuit breaker is only good for 20 amps total load.
Larry
One is for the headlight motors (only). Nothing more.
The second one (if it is there) is for the Power Windows.
Each circuit breaker is only good for 20 amps total load.
Larry
And I believe ..not 100% sure the CB is 30 amp.
EDIT:
Correction...I did not read the diagram correctly. It does show that all are on the same circuit but if a short were to occur in the mentioned above it would not trip the CB mentioned as it is the last item in the power flow chain and is there only for Headlight motors.
So you are correct... That CB is only for the HL motors. I stand corrected.
Next time I will put my Glasses on.
Last edited by Viet Nam Vett; May 2, 2016 at 10:17 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 978
Likes: 1
From: Scranton Pennsylvania
The guy that tested it is a certified mechanic and is aware of the qwirks with optima batteries.He seems OK and is more knowledgeable than me. Don't think he load tested it, I will try that tomorrow. I have the car jacked ready to pull the starter.I will get the battery tested first. I really really don't want to replace the harness.
I am told old for this crap. Just want to be able to listen to the pipes again.
I am told old for this crap. Just want to be able to listen to the pipes again.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Egg Harbor Township NJ
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The guy that tested it is a certified mechanic and is aware of the qwirks with optima batteries.He seems OK and is more knowledgeable than me. Don't think he load tested it, I will try that tomorrow. I have the car jacked ready to pull the starter.I will get the battery tested first. I really really don't want to replace the harness.
I am told old for this crap. Just want to be able to listen to the pipes again.
I am told old for this crap. Just want to be able to listen to the pipes again.
I hear Yah.. I'm to old for this crap also but we keep doing it over and over expecting a different result..L.O.L.
The engine harness is not a problem and is fairly straight forward. No bending and turning upside down except to make the starter hook up.
The monster is replacing the dash harness... you need to have a Keg of beer and 7 Dwarfs to help you.... Keep at it ...
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 978
Likes: 1
From: Scranton Pennsylvania
Battery load tested fine. Mechanic says there are one or two fuseable links near the starter. I don't remember seeing them. Can someone describe. where they are(pics would be better) Car is 63 harness is 65
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
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Army
Start at the bulkhead connector near the master cylinder and follow the harness across the cowl, down towards the distributor, then working forward on the PS towards horn relay, alternator, voltage regulator then downward towards the starter/batter
Any bare wire, melted insulation, etc.. would be a clue.
Any bare wire, melted insulation, etc.. would be a clue.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Greenville, Indiana
I don't understand why your mechanic apparently doesn't own one either?
Last edited by MikeM; May 3, 2016 at 08:54 AM.
Team Owner
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Army
