Ok here is a run down of the problem again, and what I have done;

I was driving my 76 corvette, and pulled up to an intersection, as I was going throught the intersection, everything, like some one turned off a light switch, went dead. I coasted throught the intersection, and tried to restart the car, nothing. I noticed upon inspection under the hood that the pig tail that connects to the top of the Alternator, had cam loose and the red wire was broke out of the back of the plastic conector. I thought this was the problem...

So here is a list of what I have done, all from suggestions of far better electrical guys than myself:
1. Replaced the Pigtail at the alt, and tested to make sure I had connectivity
2. Tested Starter at local autozone, tested fine
3. Replaced and tested both fusible links at starter, both are good
4. Tested both pos and neg batterycables, both tested fine
5. Checked every fuse in the fuse block below stering wheel, all fuses are good
6. Tested fusible link at dist block below mater cylinder, it also tested fine.
7. Tested battery, and it as well tested fine.

I dont know a lot about electrical, and only have basic knowledge of diagonosing such things, but I will put the starter back on in the morning (06 Sep 09) and hook the battery back up, for another go at testing everything, but as of right now I still have absolutly no power to the vehicle, none the lights dont work, it won't crank, it essentially is a giant paper weight, and I am starting to get frustrated.

VR
JR

 

Do you have power at the starter solenoid , where the large battery cable connects ?

 

I had a similar thing happen to my 76. It took about two weeks to find the problem. If you dont have one all ready, I would buy a VOM ( volt ohm meter) and a laminating wiring diagram for your car. I would also get a few dry erase markers to write or trace on the wiring diagram.

With the VOM I would start at the battery and see where you lose power. Check the voltage to ground from the battery, if you have voltage there, check the other end of the positive battery cable which if I remember right is the starter. If you don't have voltage from the starter to ground then there is a problem with either the cable or ground. I would just go through the car like that until you find it. Once you find where you no longer have voltage to ground use a jumper wire to check for voltage to a known ground. You might have to use a piece of wire as a jumper since the battery is so far away from the other electrical connections. If you have voltage using the jumper then you have a ground problem.

The battery location and the fiberglass body can make this harder than other cars.

I would check for voltage instead of checking for continuity if the wire or the part is connected at both ends. You can get continuity from somewhere else in the circuit. The ground wire from the battery to the frame can also test ok with continuity but a bad or dirty connection can prevent the current from traveling through the connection.

Good luck and keep us updated.

 

A good voltmeter is a very handy tool to have as well as the knowlege to use it. I also highly recomend making yourself a test light with a brake light bulb some wire and a couple allgator clips. Very good troubleshooting tool.

 

did you check ur ground straps, very important on a fiberglass body, try a set of booster cables, attach one to engine the other to steel frame grind conections in to try to get good contact and try that, its an quick and easy test.

 

Check your ends on your battery cables very carefully. I had a similar problem on me 69. It ended up being a cheap replacement ground side cable that the small end had corroded inside the chrome eye so much that there was no longer any continuity.

 

This happened to my 75, it turned out to be the fusable link located under the brake booster.

 

I agree with '75. Same thing happened to me with a '76. Fuseable link under master cylinder.
Try this:
Attach volt meter to fuseable link and a good ground
If you get 12v turn on head lights.
If voltage goes away fuseable link is passing a small amount of voltage but will not carry a load.

This is a first step. Post results and the guys will suggest options.

 

this just happened to me too...I had it towed to my mechanic...it was the fusable link under the master cylinder like the guy's posts above

 

Same thing happened to me 19 years ago (I'm dating myself now). Fuse link at the horn relay is probably blown. Any small short, or old brittle wiring and these things go POOF!

 

Thanks all for the great suggestions, I enjoy the welth of knowledge and experience on this forum. I did however, get the car running, I checked all things listed, Fusible link, grounds, battery cables, and nothing had work. I was putting it back together and just doing some general cleaning, and found a wire the previous owner had spliced in, that was probably the colperate. It was grounding out, it was up under the dash and very hard to get to. From all the wireing diagrams that I have seen, I cant tell what it goes to, and it had aftermarket wire splices attaching it, so I just removed it and vaila it worked. its been driving beautifully since, thanks for all the help

JR

 

Don't drive any further from home than you want to walk.

 

You just disconnected the auto destruct that bubba wired in.

 

JRs76ray,

I would still listen to the advice given - "buy a VOM" (for the next time), it's a Corvette.

 

Thats kind of funny. Pretty similar to what was wrong with mine. A mouse had chewed the insulation off a wire and it was shorting to ground. Glad you found it.