yesterday as i was driving home from work my 84 C4 went completely dead on me as i was driving it. i was able to coast it in to a parking lot check all the fuses and batter cables every thing looked good. car had no power at all no lights no horn just dead, had to tow it home after it sat for about two hours it started right back up like nothing ever happen. i don't know what to look for i put in a new batter,alternator and starter about 4 month a go. has this ever happen to any one if so what advice can you give me

thanks

 

The Corvette, over the years, has generated a well earned reputation for electrical gremlins... they surface when new, then get resolved, then come back when the car is old.

And your car is now old.

These are the things I would be looking for:

1. Check the battery junction block. This is where all the fusible links meet up behind the battery. Remove the little nut (8mm), remove each wire, hit it with a Scotchbrite pad, some dielectric grease and install.

2. Grounds... there is a ground from the battery to the chassis, and from the chassis to the engine block. Check both. Check the chassis, too, it will rust under the battery, screwing up the ground strap to the chassis from the battery. Electrolysis is a bitch.

3. Battery terminals. Make sure the terminals are clean and tight. The battery cables themselves can go bad, too, as they age. Corrosion will work their way up the cables, increasing resistance... add heat... all bets are off.

4. The hot wire off the alternator... check that sucker... it too will corrode with age. If you replace it, get some good quality 10 gauge power wire for a car stereo amp. It's got lower resistance and will last forever.

5. Finally, any harness, American made, prior to about 1990 is suspect. The SAE changed the requirements for insulation and that made a huge improvement in durability. Earlier systems were prone to wear, cracking, chaffing, shrinkage, chemical and heat related failures, and just general disintegration. Check all harness ends to make sure they are not coming undone.

That should keep you busy for a day. I do not feel it is the battery/starter/alternator... just pretty much everything that connects them is now suspect.

 

thank you very much for all the info and step by step guide

 

Bogus said::::

1. Check the battery junction block. This is where all the fusible links meet up behind the battery. Remove the little nut (8mm), remove each wire, hit it with a Scotchbrite pad, some dielectric grease and install.

2. Grounds... there is a ground from the battery to the chassis, and from the chassis to the engine block. Check both. Check the chassis, too, it will rust under the battery, screwing up the ground strap to the chassis from the battery. Electrolysis is a bitch.

3. Battery terminals. Make sure the terminals are clean and tight. The battery cables themselves can go bad, too, as they age. Corrosion will work their way up the cables, increasing resistance... add heat... all bets are off.

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As a new 84 owner I discovered just how sensitive the connections are on the grounds and battery.. They may look ok..but be fairly corroded out of sight...


Craig

 

Thank you, I hate electrical problems

 

Check the Distributor module for hairline cracks. I had a TA with TB injection and it would do that to me. Replaced the module and fixed all the problems.

 

truthfully with what you described I would start at the battery connections, they get a little wet corrosion builds next thing your walking. so inspect and clean your connections and keep the required wrench for your battery on hand. if it reoccurs after that I would recommend running Mandoman's check list

 

The 84 does not have the junction block, the main fusible links are on the starter solenoid..




There are two fusible links beside the battery, one to the cooling fan relay, and the other to the fuel pump relay, the oil pressure switch and the ECM..