Major electrical problem
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 278
Likes: 1
From: Ware Shoals SC
Major electrical problem
Traded a car for an '86 Indy today. The top was rough and had been out of a garage for a few weeks and took on some rain. I got it home, shop vac'ed an inch of water out of the floorboard, let it dry in the sun a while.
I put a good fairly new battery in it and got arcing on the positive and negative terminals. I knew that wasn't good. Turned key and nothing lit up, windows wouldn't move. I heard a courtesy ding one time and the passenger door locked on it's own but nothing else. I cut off the switch and disconnected the battery because I feared I might short it out or blow it up. I'm sure this is going to be a long process but after checking all the fuses at passenger door where is the next place I should check?
I put a good fairly new battery in it and got arcing on the positive and negative terminals. I knew that wasn't good. Turned key and nothing lit up, windows wouldn't move. I heard a courtesy ding one time and the passenger door locked on it's own but nothing else. I cut off the switch and disconnected the battery because I feared I might short it out or blow it up. I'm sure this is going to be a long process but after checking all the fuses at passenger door where is the next place I should check?
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 136
Likes: 2
From: Reno Nv
Believe it or not their are fuses behind the center of the dash. Start by pulling all of the fuses you can find then hook up the battery and go from their checking all gounds and fuesable links first. Good luck.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 278
Likes: 1
From: Ware Shoals SC
Thanks for the info. I know there are two or three fusable links behind the battery at the positive terminal. Are the ones you mention in the breadbox or literally behind the center of the dash? Behind the info center window? The wife wants to see a limb saw in my hand this weekend but it looks like it's going to be a fluke meter in my hand!
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 136
Likes: 2
From: Reno Nv
Behind the info center window and thare are a dozen or more fusable links all over. get a Factory Service Manual it is the only way to do electrical work. Double check that you hooked the battery up right
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 9,758
Likes: 49
From: Houston Texas
Also, take a look at the batt cables and make sure they are not pinched or worn through somewhere and arching.One should run down to your starter those can get brittle or burned by the exhaust.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 278
Likes: 1
From: Ware Shoals SC
Problem solved. I have power restored to everything except the tail lights and the car is starting and running. I had some blown fuses and corrosion on the screw tabs of both battery cables. Thanks for the advice, guys.
Not getting a coolant temp reading on the digi-dash but if I flip the swithc down it lights up fine with a voltage reading. Since no leds light in the temp position but do in the volt position I'm hoping it's a dirty switch or connection there and not the dash itself. If I can get that and the tail lights working then I'll be shooting paint in a few weeks.
Not getting a coolant temp reading on the digi-dash but if I flip the swithc down it lights up fine with a voltage reading. Since no leds light in the temp position but do in the volt position I'm hoping it's a dirty switch or connection there and not the dash itself. If I can get that and the tail lights working then I'll be shooting paint in a few weeks.
