Topic: No electrical power!
in Forum: C3 Electrical
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
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Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas









KEWL!!! Glad ya got it fixed!!!!

Joel Adams
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
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Manteca, CA - USA
Joined: 11/20/2005
Posts: 3623
Vette(s): 1978,two tone,Metalic Rootbeer & gold
1975 L48 4 speed
Jimmy B.
Just can't wait to get on the road again.
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It happened again!! I was driving along and the car just stopped. No power to anything!! Towed home again.
Could it be that the "new" remanufactured starter is bad and is causing this?? All the cables and connections are clean and tight. I didn't troubleshoot last night because it was dark by the time I got home.
Could this be a short in the starter or solenoid that allows me to start up fine but after I run for a half hour or so it shorts out the whole friggin' car?
I'm no longer having fun.....
G_dogg

Moderator
Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
I'm gonna point my finger at the fuse-links. They can do this, even tho they "look" ok, and may even test out with a voltmeter ok. A fuse-link can burn just enough to lose contact at times, but work ok at other times.
I went thru this same thing on my truck once before...I got tired of laying on my back to wiggle wires, and finally just replaced all of them...
I went thru this same thing on my truck once before...I got tired of laying on my back to wiggle wires, and finally just replaced all of them...

Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56
My Link
(click for Texas-sized view!) NCRS
"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
I think Joel is right, get yourself a test light to cary in the car they are very usefull, easy to check fuses (pwr one side and then on the other) just make sure you are hooked up to a good groung. while your car is dead check for power on the big red wire at the Altenator, no power you know that it is down by the starter. you can hook up the test light then go down by the starter and wiggle the wires at the fussible links maybe it will show up.
I bought a brand new starter. Before we started we checked and had power at the alternator and also the old starter (the remanufatured one). We also had power to the headlights only. There was no other power anywhere. Like, when you turn on the headlights, you should get tail lights too. No interior lights, no dash lights, no radio, etc. And no new starter either - not even a click.
There is power at the alternator. We also traced the hot line out of the batery that goes to the alternator. It runs through the frame of all things. We also discovered we had the hood compartment light. I usually have it unplugged.
I have a Chilton's manual and I see one fuseable link. But the diagram also shows that the positive from the battery goes to the starter solenoid and then for '81-'82 to the theft deterent system (theft deterent starter interrupt relay & theft deterrent control module) then to the neutral safety switch/backup lamp switch and then to the ignition.
Another diagram shows the positive fromteh battery to the starter motor solenoid, a fuseable link going to the generator (alt.) and then the other side of the generator going to the idiot light on the dash , then the gauges fuse and then hot in the run/start position.
Nothing here to me says all these symptoms. Like if the theft deterrent system got triggered - I would have never been able to start the car let alone run for 30 or 40 minutes only to have it quit while driving. Right?
Wouldn't I just not be able to start the car but still have radio, interior lights, power windows and locks, etc? Instead all I have is headllights
If it was the fuseable link from the solenoid, I shouldn't have power at the alternator? Right?
I'm getting desprate here. Chilton's and Hayne's say nothing about the anti theft system. The reproduction owners manual says little about it.
Ok, guys. HELP!
G_dogg

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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
G...I just sent ya another diagram...it may be different from what you have. I didn't have time to look thru it, but it does have several fuse-links.
You have headlights, but no tail-lights? How about the horn?
If this is NOT a fuse-link issue, then I think you're prolly looking at corrosion, or other damage in the main harness pass-thru, from the engine side to the fusebox. Depending on how many, and which terminals are not making contact, that could cause the strange electrical gremlin you seem to have. I'll study the diagram a little more, and see if there is anything else I can see...
The diagrams I have on the shop 'puter prolly do have the anti-theft diagrams...but I won't get back to them until Monday...
I DO have the same info here, but it's all on another 'puter, that's not hooked up right now. The diagram I sent you does include the anti-theft system, but not as a separate diagram. Hope it helps.
You have headlights, but no tail-lights? How about the horn?
If this is NOT a fuse-link issue, then I think you're prolly looking at corrosion, or other damage in the main harness pass-thru, from the engine side to the fusebox. Depending on how many, and which terminals are not making contact, that could cause the strange electrical gremlin you seem to have. I'll study the diagram a little more, and see if there is anything else I can see...

The diagrams I have on the shop 'puter prolly do have the anti-theft diagrams...but I won't get back to them until Monday...


Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56
My Link
(click for Texas-sized view!) NCRS
"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
in Forum: C3 Electrical
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