I was driving my '82 last night and it just stopped. No electrical power anywhere. The battery reads 13V. Anyone have a clue?

Gary, we have some experts here that will help you out. I'm sure they are going to want more info, like do the lights work, radio ect. Did you check the fuses? The battery cables been removed and cleaned?

Welcome to C3VR!!!


If absolutely NOTHING electrical on the car works, you have a battery connection issue. Start by checking the cable connections at the battery itself, and make sure they are clean and tight.
Then, look under the car, where the battery sits in the box, and you'll see where the ground cable from the battery is connected to the frame, just under the driver seat area. Make sure that connection is clean and tight.
Next, go to the pass side of the engine, and check the ground cable from the frame to the engine. This cable is normally attached to the engine mount bolt, but it could be fastened somewhere else too. Again, make sure that cable is properly connected, and clean.
While you're in that area, check to see that the positive battery cable is properly attached to the starter solenoid center terminal.
If all of these connections are clean, and tight, and you still have no power, then you have a blown fuse-link, but it's hard to believe that every one of them blew at the same time.
First, check and make sure you have NO power to anything...horn, head/tail lights, etc. If some items work, and some don't, you definitely have a bad fuse link, or links.
Adams' Apple2008-07-25 10:39:46

I have no power to anything except at the battery terminals. All the connections are clean and tight at the battery. I just reinstalled it after cleaning the box out and the positive terminal even though it wasn't dirty. I checked fuses and had a blown 30A rear window defroster fuse - which did not work when I got the car 3 years ago. (Must be why!) All other major fuses checked out. I checked the ground cable under the driver's seat and that is fine. BUT, when I changed my starter recently my buddy had a problem with the ground cable there. I'll have to check that.

When you test items for power, run a wire to the battery instead of just trying the engine or other items for a ground connection.   You could read no volts when it's really there, but isn't grounded to make the meter or test light read.

Gary,

Ground Cable......

1st check the grounds to the starter where you had last worked.

Check the ground cable from the battery since most likely you unhooked it.

Check the ground cable able from the battery to the point where it attaches to the cross-member. They have a tendency to get corroded and split open. If this occurs you lose all power... Your battery will test out fine.

All great advice. I'll check it out.

Problem solved!! It was the starter. We took the starter out and we had power to the rest of the car. It turned out to be the connection. We cleaned the wire terminals and all is fine now!!