battery problems
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
battery problems
I have a 71 and thought I had a bad battery, replaced battery and the car started. I let it sit for about a week and it won't start. I connected a battery charger but still don't have any lights, radio etc. Is there a main fuse? where is the fuse panel located?
thanks
Bob
thanks
Bob
Drifting
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,480
Likes: 2
From: Circleville Ohio
you have a drain on the Battery so its completely dead charge up first then the fuses are down by your left foot(not really sure on that yr).1 at a time you will need to put your meter(in line) by un-hooking the fuse to see where the power draw is going.start with the headlight circut you can pull the fuse and check the battery voltage 2 o 3 hrs later depends on the drain. more than likly a switch is bad passing cuerrent with hte switch Off. good luck check all the grounds the starter s the Battery Ground and the rear light have a ground on the underside of the bumper
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,108
Likes: 11
From: No Prov RI
Fuse panel is against the firewall to the left of the steering colum. above and left of the brake pedle. not the easiest area to reach when your down there or trying to reach it with both arms 
Hammadown
Hammadown
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
There is no fuse between the battery and the fuse panel. The items powered by the battery are fused or there are fusible-links installed in a few wiring harnesses. Your problem is in the battery wiring/connections 'arena'. You need to determine 1) is there a constant drain on your battery when all systems should be OFF? ; and 2) if answer to #1 is "Yes", which system(s) has that drain?
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 121
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Texas
As a member of the K.I.S.S. army, (Keep It Simple Stupid) I have to ask: Are you hooking the batteries up correctly? Sorry, not everyone knows. If so, have you cleaned the terminals and checked for voltage drops across them? One more thing to consider, there is a difference between surface charge and actual, a battery can show voltage, only to have it drop to almost nothing when put under a load. Load test the test batteries. Hope this helps. -Jeff
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Chuck
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
There should be a red wire also connected to that same lug. It connects to a brown fusible link just above the solenoid, then the other side of that link connects to a 10 ga. red wire going to the horn relay under the left-front fender. That 10 ga. red wire also splits off [before the horn relay] into a 20 ga. orange fusible link then travels to the fuse box via a 14 ga. black line. One of the power feeds to the fuse block comes from the horn relay via a 20 ga. orange fuse-link (just under the horn relay) to a 16 ga. blue/dark-blue/white line.
I believe that those are the two power feeds into the fuse box and both are protected by fusible-links in the engine compartment. I hope that is of some help.
I believe that those are the two power feeds into the fuse box and both are protected by fusible-links in the engine compartment. I hope that is of some help.
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
when you say "red wire also connected to the same lug" are you talking about the lug on the started solenoid? I'm going to try to jack the car up this weekend and check the connections to the starter and solenoid. The red wire running to the starter itself was loose but it didn't help after I tighten it.
By the way I'll be in Crossville the week of the 19th. I have a timeshare at Fairfield Glades.
thanks
Bob
By the way I'll be in Crossville the week of the 19th. I have a timeshare at Fairfield Glades.
thanks
Bob
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Thanks to all that gave suggestions with your help I was able to track down the problem. It was a broken wire that runs from the solenoid up to the fuse panel. It was actually burnt in two.
thanks againd, i can now take my grandson for a ride!
Bob
thanks againd, i can now take my grandson for a ride!
Bob
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,714
Likes: 42
From: Austin Texas
I could be wrong but that sounds like it could actually be a fusible link that did what it was designed to do and that is to burn in half.
71's had fusible links so I would check them. The fusible link is the master fuse to the fuse box. I keep a couple on the car for emergencies.
71's had fusible links so I would check them. The fusible link is the master fuse to the fuse box. I keep a couple on the car for emergencies.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
rjpohl...
That does sound like a fuse link that burned through. You mentioned that the red wire was connected directly to the starter. It should not be. It should be connected to the starter solenoid. Then there is a copper 'jumper' strip that runs from the solenoid to the starter power lug. There is supposed to be a 14 awg. brown wire spliced into that red wire just a few inches before that solenoid connection. That is the fusible link which likely is the one that burned through. If that is correct, that brown wire should be replaced with 14 awg wire or with a 14 awg fusible link that you buy at an auto parts store. If you install larger gauge wire than that, the "protective" function of that fuse-link will be defeated and if the same problem occurred again, a fire could develop.
That does sound like a fuse link that burned through. You mentioned that the red wire was connected directly to the starter. It should not be. It should be connected to the starter solenoid. Then there is a copper 'jumper' strip that runs from the solenoid to the starter power lug. There is supposed to be a 14 awg. brown wire spliced into that red wire just a few inches before that solenoid connection. That is the fusible link which likely is the one that burned through. If that is correct, that brown wire should be replaced with 14 awg wire or with a 14 awg fusible link that you buy at an auto parts store. If you install larger gauge wire than that, the "protective" function of that fuse-link will be defeated and if the same problem occurred again, a fire could develop.
