Help Total electrical failure

79ElkyFl · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:07 pm Post subject: Help Total electrical failure

Hello all, So I go outside and start her up this afternoon and my door locks start going nuts locking then unlocking.So i turn off the ignition now it won't start at all widows won't work.but I still have the radio and headlights and battery has juice.The starter souded like it wasn't getting enough power (very labored ) it does this from time to time.Could a bad starter cause me to lose most of my electronics.Also what would make the door locks go nuts.I do have an aftermarket alarm and keyless entry and niether are working now.Where do I start.The battery schould be fully charged but even if it weren't I should still have power to the windows.I am at a loss right now.

hemi57 · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:24 pm Post subject:

My suggestion is the battery. I have experienced similar situations where the door locks lock/unlock and other stuff appears to switch on but the motor won't start.

Batteries can loose a cell or two and give the impression there is juice but under any load they give up.
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John (from Down Under)

'75 El Camino Classic

79ElkyFl · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:58 am Post subject:

Well I put a different battery in this morning and still no difference the car is gettimg no power to the ignition ,dash or windows and brake lights don't come on when I press the pedal nothing I have triple checked that it is in park.Normally if I take the battery out then put it back in the alarm would sound now it does nothing the keyless entry also does nothing.Please give me some ideas or a good place to start

darbysan · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:16 pm Post subject:

It could be one of your fuseable links. They are a Pain to get to. They are down by the starter, in a small protective tube. Two wires run through there from the Hot side of the starter and back to the Fuse Panel for power.

Could also be a bad ground or power cable on the battery. I had this a while back. Cables looked good, but when I jiggled them, power would go on and off. However, if you are getting some power ( radio, etc) then this may not be the case.
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'85 SS, Ash Blue Mica ( 2003 Lexus Color), '87 L69 305, Choo Choo Conversion, Roll Pan, Edelbrock Intake and TES Headers, Acura Buckets, Blazer Console

79ElkyFl · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:36 pm Post subject:

Ok I checked the fusable links I have only had the car for two months and it seems that the previous owner had bypassed the fusable links with speaker wire when I disconnect these wires I get 12v on the volt meter but when I reconnect them I get a zero reading.I have checked the fuses and they all seem to be fine .Where do I go from here?There are four wires coming from the starter three come from the same connection as the power wire coming from the battery and one coming from the opposite post on the starter which gives me a zero reading on the volt meter.When I check the wires in the engine bay where they go through the firewall to the fuse box only one gives me a 12v the other two are zero.What do I need to check next?Also what would cause a wire to go from reading 12 v to reading zero just by touching it to another wire I am by no means electronicaly inclined any ideas would be helpfull.