My 1978 died.. Help!!!
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
My 1978 died.. Help!!!
Here is the quick story, I was driving my car and all of a sudden everything shutdown, so i coasted to the side of the road and when i tried to start it absolutly nothing happened. i couldnt hear any noises after turning the key, and a jump start did not work. battery is pushing 600 amps. I'm not very mechanically inclined so I thought I would ask for ideas on what it could be. Thanks for the help!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,428
Likes: 5
From: Japan
Bad ground somewhere/ burned fusible link? Do you have any electrics at all? Lights, anything? If there's nothing that's the first place I'd look. The fusible links come off of the starter solenoid- look down there for anything that looks like burned wires...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,236
Likes: 898
From: Myrtle Beach SC
My first thought as well. I had trouble with my 78 on the starter ground strap. When I found it, it was hanging on my strands of copper and was corroded and gunked up. 
The starter ground strap bolts to the starter support bracket that supports the starter nose to the engine. the other end bolts to the frame.
The starter ground strap bolts to the starter support bracket that supports the starter nose to the engine. the other end bolts to the frame.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,248
Likes: 67
From: Warrington PA
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
As mentioned above, get your voltmeter and start at the battery. See how many volts your battery is putting out. If it is below 11.5 or 11V, I would first charge the battery and make sure you have a full charge. Besides checking your grounds, get your alternator checked to see if it is working correctly. I also had the same problem you did with my 82, it shut down completely doing 65 mph, was fortunate to get over to the side of the highway safely, and did not have anything at all, not even lights. everything shut down and had to get it flatbedded home. It ended up being a combination of the wiper control module and the alternator both being faulty, which in turn drained my battery completely. Had the wiper module rebuilt with modern day electronics and replaced the alternator, and it has been fine since.
Just some more suggestions for you, hope you find the problem...Tom
Just some more suggestions for you, hope you find the problem...Tom
Last edited by 74 LS4-454; Apr 27, 2013 at 08:57 AM.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,241
Likes: 4
From: Okinawa Okinawa
Start at battery and work your way down. Last weekend, I pulled in the garage, turned off and went to restart and nothing at all. Did the same thing. Started at the battery and worked way down. Ended up being the S wire to the battery had broke at the connector. Re-hooked it up and no issues.
So, you have head and tail lights but nothing inside the car? No light, radio, dash lights? Are the headlights bright or very dim?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,548
Likes: 379
From: Woodinville WA
Fuseable link is burned.... very, very common.
look for two cylinders in the two power wires that are attached to the front of the starter (the battery cable is attached, and those two wires).... it sounds like you burned one of those wires, or the fuse in one of those wires blew.
Good news is it's not too hard to fix
bad news is you need to find the short that caused it
I had a similar thing happen to me.... on a very dark road at 5 am... I was going 60 mph, then suddenly I was driving in the dark, with just tire noise. I got both of those wires up against the header.
look for two cylinders in the two power wires that are attached to the front of the starter (the battery cable is attached, and those two wires).... it sounds like you burned one of those wires, or the fuse in one of those wires blew.
Good news is it's not too hard to fix
bad news is you need to find the short that caused it
I had a similar thing happen to me.... on a very dark road at 5 am... I was going 60 mph, then suddenly I was driving in the dark, with just tire noise. I got both of those wires up against the header.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
I looked at the starter and everything looks good, I did however find a ground wire the has been disconnected from somewhere, one end is attached the the passenger side cylinder head on the firewall side. Anyone know where it should go?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,248
Likes: 67
From: Warrington PA
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
I don't think that would be your problem. As mentioned in previous posts, you either have a fusible link gone bad somewhere, or there is something else shorting your system out.
Again, start from the beginning (your battery) and work from there. Check your HEI system, you may have a wire loose under the cap, or your ignition module may be fried, and once they go, you don't go.
Take your module out, make sure there is either silicone lube or thermal compound between the bottom of the module and the plate it attaches to, a thin even coat will do fine. See if the module looks burnt from underneath, if you can't make that determination, take it to one of the "parts" stores, and they can check it for you....
and make sure you check the cap, rotor and coil....etc., etc.....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,548
Likes: 379
From: Woodinville WA
The fuseable links are the larger cylinders, and are part of the wire (they're not serviceable, but have to be replaced by chopping out and soldering in new links (there are other ways, but for clarity focus on this)
they look like this
