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Started my 70 yesterday. Today I put the center console back in the car(climate control ect.) Now the entire electrical system is dead. No lights at all. No ignition not even a click. I took the console back out to check everything but nothing apparently wrong. I looked at the fuse panel below the dash on the drivers side but nothing appears wrong. What might be the problem. (I have a float charger on the car so I doubt the battery is dead since yesterday)
At the starter is a fuse-able link on the red wire.. There is also another one located by the alternator on the brown/white wire and yet another one, off the coil wire orange with black/white speckles in it.. This is a resistance wire that has a fuse link in place too.
To see if you have blown check by give the wire a tug.. if it's blown you'll pull it in half.
I'd actually look at the one by the alternator first since everything inside is dead.
Alternator- brown and white wire just goes into the harness and a blue connector into the alternator
Coil - I see no orange wire
I have not check the starter. I will do this in the morning. Still don't see anything or what you call the fusable link. If I saw one then I would know what to look for.
I'm thinking check the easiest things first- start at the battery. Check the cables- could be a simple as a loose cable. Then check the main lug at the starter-it could be loose.
Then get back w/ us...
Way too many times it's just a coincidence that something else is wrong and think that what you just did screwed it up...
Second picture.
Those Black rubber like things on those 2 wires are fusible link connections. Usually the fusible link is the wire itself between the black encasement and the terminal end its close to
Looks like someone has removed the resistance wire from the coil and went with an after market distributor. The fuse links are show in the pic below. You'll have one of these at the starter as well. Give them a quick tug and see if they pull apart. If they do you found your issue and if not then post again.
Now that I know what to look for I check all the locations previously mentioned.
On the horn relay there are 2 and both do not pull apart
On the starter there are 2 and both do not pull apart
between the coil and the wiper motor there are 2 and both do not pull apart.
I checked the voltage on the Battery and it is at 12.32 volts.
Pic 1 = coil
Pic2 = horn relay
pic3 = starter
Any other ideas on how to trace this upstream.
Last edited by Bluefalcon1; Oct 13, 2014 at 11:08 PM.
I checked the voltage on the Battery and it is at 12.32 volts.
Any other ideas on how to trace this upstream.
Check for power- voltage at the horn relay. Red lead of the meter on the relay terminal and ground-black lead to the alternator case...If no power then go to the starter lug to check for power.
I still think you need to just check the battery terminals first...
I will take the cables off tomorrow clean/ reinstall.
I am a bit confused about checking for power. You mentioned the read lead connected to the horn relay and the black to the alternator case.
My second post above shows pics of the alternator (pic1) and the horn relay (pic2). Where exactly do I put the red lead on the horn relay and where on the alt caseing? Should this be done with or without the ignition turned on?
Please advise.
Last edited by Bluefalcon1; Oct 14, 2014 at 12:59 AM.
I will take the cables off tomorrow clean/ reinstall.
I am a bit confused about checking for power. You mentioned the read lead connected to the horn relay and the black to the alternator case.
My second post above shows pics of the alternator (pic1) and the horn relay (pic2). Where exactly do I put the red lead on the horn relay and where on the alt caseing? Should this be done with or without the ignition turned on?
Please advise.
Red lead - screw head/terminal- see arrow in pic-
Ground- any non painted-clean metal surface on your engine- anywhere on the alternator case since it's usually not painted-
I can't tell you how many times a loose battery cable has caused endless...
1) Negative battery cable - Was very tight and not visably dirty. Took it off an cleaned the post. I was able to get the system to come back alive but only once.
2) Ignition switch - It is in need of replacement. You have to turn it just right or it will not make proper contact. I now know the trick so I can get by until I get a new ignition. I will wait on this since I want to replace the steering column with a T/T. I have 2 other project before that one.
Thanks for all the help
Anyone have any leads on a tilt/ telescopic steering column that is correct for 1970?
You might also want to tackle the ignition switch now.
You have a trick now, but it's already worn out. How much longer is that going to last before it completely quits?