Fusable Link in 76
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Joined: Apr 2002
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From: East Stroudsburg PA
Fusable Link in 76
Last night, I changed another header hasket on the shark. Turns out that the D-Ports in GM's fast burn heads require a quite large gasket. Knowing this now, I think I'm set. But, I've already changed three in the past year. :mad
I was letting the car run, warming up. I haven't run the engine in a while. Just as the cooling fan kicked on, the electrical system went dead! No horn, no lights, won't crank - nothing.
I took a volt meter to the positive terminal on the alternator - nothing.
I used a jumper cable to go from the positive side of the battery to the positive terminal on the alternator - and everything worked as usual!
Did I blow a fusable link? If so, where is this? What can I replace it with? Do I have to replace an entire cable somewhere?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Peter
I was letting the car run, warming up. I haven't run the engine in a while. Just as the cooling fan kicked on, the electrical system went dead! No horn, no lights, won't crank - nothing.
I took a volt meter to the positive terminal on the alternator - nothing.
I used a jumper cable to go from the positive side of the battery to the positive terminal on the alternator - and everything worked as usual!
Did I blow a fusable link? If so, where is this? What can I replace it with? Do I have to replace an entire cable somewhere?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Peter
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: I can walk to MA
Re: Fusable Link in 76 (lbell101)
I don't have the wiring diagrams here, but I do not think that there is a
fusible link from the alternator to the battery. The alternator hot lead should
go down to the starter stud that gets the + battery cable.
If it does have a fusible link, it is usually near the wire terminal and looks like
a chunk of rubber inline with the wire. I'd look for this near the starter. If no
link is visible, go on to the next paragraph - troubleshooting.
I would first try testing with a jumper from the alternator to the starter (be
careful). If this works, then it will be the wire between OR the connection to
either stud. Try pulling the wires off and cleaning the terminals - then
reassemble. Ditto for the + battery cable (cleaning connections) at the
battery and at the starter.
If cleaning doesn't do it, it may be that the wire has been tugged at - enough
to weaken and fray the wire near the terminal end. This will make the wire
act like a fusible link at that point. These are tough to find, unless you use an
Ohm meter with sharp probes for piercing the insulator. This way, you can
check at various points along the wire for an open circuit.
:seeya
fusible link from the alternator to the battery. The alternator hot lead should
go down to the starter stud that gets the + battery cable.
If it does have a fusible link, it is usually near the wire terminal and looks like
a chunk of rubber inline with the wire. I'd look for this near the starter. If no
link is visible, go on to the next paragraph - troubleshooting.
I would first try testing with a jumper from the alternator to the starter (be
careful). If this works, then it will be the wire between OR the connection to
either stud. Try pulling the wires off and cleaning the terminals - then
reassemble. Ditto for the + battery cable (cleaning connections) at the
battery and at the starter.
If cleaning doesn't do it, it may be that the wire has been tugged at - enough
to weaken and fray the wire near the terminal end. This will make the wire
act like a fusible link at that point. These are tough to find, unless you use an
Ohm meter with sharp probes for piercing the insulator. This way, you can
check at various points along the wire for an open circuit.
:seeya
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 93
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From: East Stroudsburg PA
Re: Fusable Link in 76 (Daves_rusty_75)
Thanks Dave and Ibell!
It wasn't the fusable link after all.
There are two fusable links from the starter to the rest of the car. There was power before and after them, so I kept testing.
The end of the first leg of their run is a joined pair of connectors which link them to the rest of the car. This was where my problem was. The connectors had gotten corroded on the inside. I cleaned them and all is well.
Thanks!
It wasn't the fusable link after all.
There are two fusable links from the starter to the rest of the car. There was power before and after them, so I kept testing.
The end of the first leg of their run is a joined pair of connectors which link them to the rest of the car. This was where my problem was. The connectors had gotten corroded on the inside. I cleaned them and all is well.
Thanks!
