Ugh, just my luck..

Yesterday, while testing my lights, I checked all the turn signals and they worked fine (apart from the one lacking a bulb) and then I went to check my headlights. They came on for about 2 seconds and then... nothing. blank. nota. At the same time I lost all my interior lights, the radio still works but it loses all power when the ignition is turn off.
What weird is that the dome lights were flickering a little after this all happened, and would come on when the door was open sometimes.
I figured it was the cheap half dead battery the guy put in it before i bought it. So then today I went out and bought a nice new Optima red top. Still, nothing. I don't get it, they all worked perfect before, not one problem at all.

Also, on a side note, my headlight motors were not working (or so he said) but they were disconnected, so I connected them and then they went down. That was about 3 or 4 hours ago. Since then there has been no signs of life..

Anyone suggest anything?

 

Check the fuseable link at the starter first. I don't recall if my interior lamps quit too, but check the bulkhead connector behind the brake booster. Seperate the connector, there is an 8mm bolt that goes through the center .There is a 10GA (red I believe) wire see if the connection is melted. I spend an entire day tracing that one out, ended up solidering a new spade terminal and drilling a hole through the bulkhead connector. That was my experience...good luck man.

 

to add to what IROC212 said, also make sure you have a good motor to body ground & a good battery to body ground.

 

oh? all that old dirty wire is suppose to be there?

as in just coming out side of the neg. post with raw wires to the side of the engine bay?

 

yep, that is where everything on the body gets its ground from. without it, everything grounds through what ever path it can find, sometimes through the rear end bearings & gears to the driveshaft, into the trans, which can make for major drive line problems. same reason a good motor to body ground is needed.
i recommend having 2 separate motor to body grounds.

the wire from the neg post to the body did have insulation on it when it was new, so there is nothing wrong with a clean fresh replacement as long as it is big enough.