I'm having some crazy wiring problems I'm hoping you guys can help me with. I just bought a 1990 Firebird Formula that's a little rough but in decent shape. But the wiring was butchered. Today I ripped out an aftermarket alarm system and wiring for some huge sound system. For a second when I was finished I noticed the brake lights were not working, then I noticed I knocked the fuse out. Then the fun started, all of a sudden everything went dead. No lights, no ignition, no nothin, well, when I turned the lights on nothing happened but when I turned them off the headlight motors spun (gears are shot so it doesn't move the light). I started checking fuses and the fuse marked ACR (i think) was blown, so I scrambled around looking for a 20amp fuse. I replaced and tried the lights, they didn't do anything for about half a second then came on. Everything worked like it did before after that. Would whatever ACR (maybe it was AVR) stop everything from working?

Now for another problem, when I put my key to "on" the voltmeter on the instrament panel says around 9v, when I start the car it goes between 8 and 9v. It goes back up to about 12.5v once the car is running. The battery and starter are brand new. The starter seems to be straining to start the engine. It seems like it spins kinda slow and it takes maybe four seconds to start. Should I check my cables or is this normal?
Thanks in advance
Alex

 

Check your battery wires for corrosion -- both + & -, and also
where the smaller + wire connects to a junction block that
includes the connection from the alternator.

There's "ARC" & "ACC" fuse titles. If you can identify which,
I can hslp you out (next week) with what circuits it powers.

Good luck,
kk