81 dead as a doornail
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 202
Likes: 1
81 dead as a doornail
Turned on the ignition to start my 81 and nothing. checked the battery, ok, headlights work, high and low beam. No tail lights, side markers, nothing. Checked the ground, power to the starter, by way of a test light, but no power to the fuse box. Fuses, ok. Still nothing registering on the dash to indicate power. Car is completely original, nothing after market. Ran great when used last. Sat for six weeks, maybe two months, charging it from time to time with a two amp charge to keep the battery up.
Any suggestions or possible causes ?
Any suggestions or possible causes ?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 112
From: Great Plains Iowa
Turned on the ignition to start my 81 and nothing. checked the battery, ok, headlights work, high and low beam. No tail lights, side markers, nothing. Checked the ground, power to the starter, by way of a test light, but no power to the fuse box. Fuses, ok. Still nothing registering on the dash to indicate power. Car is completely original, nothing after market. Ran great when used last. Sat for six weeks, maybe two months, charging it from time to time with a two amp charge to keep the battery up.
Any suggestions or possible causes ?
Any suggestions or possible causes ?
How did you check the battery? Did you load test it? Are the battery connections nice and clean on the INSIDE? Do you have a good copper engine-to-frame ground cable? If it still has that worthless OEM aluminum ground cable throw it into the garbage.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 202
Likes: 1
I checked it with a meter, over the 12volt mark. ( not a great meter, but works )
Has the original ground strap. Everything is cleaned and wire brushed for a good contact.
If the headlights are working and power to the starter, would there still be an issue with the ground?
Has the original ground strap. Everything is cleaned and wire brushed for a good contact.
If the headlights are working and power to the starter, would there still be an issue with the ground?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 202
Likes: 1
read other posts with the same advice, change the aluminum ground wire! replaced with a copper ground.
same problem, no power to the ignition switch. How do I check to see if it's the starter mod. is good?
same problem, no power to the ignition switch. How do I check to see if it's the starter mod. is good?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 61
From: Southern NH
checking the starter is easy. first check for 12v at the big cable lug. should be 12v there all the time if the battery is connected. have someone turn the key while checking the smaller purple wire lug for 12v, you should only have 12v when the key is in crank position. if you have 12v there the starter is bad, if you don't you may have a bad neutral start switch or clutch pedal switch if it''s a manual. or an open wire or something else.
