i parked my car and went to work this morning, but i left the lights on and i come back to find a completely discharged battery

i get someone to jump me, and after 30 minutes of charging it, it cranks and goes.

i turn the idle up to 1400 rpms, and let it sit for a while, then go to the bank.
against my better judgment, i turn the car off and go inside.
when i come out, not only wont the car start, but i get NOTHING.
no lights inside, no clicks, nothing.

a guy gives me a jump but still no lights or anything.

turns out after some frantic calls that my fusible link is bad.
problem is, i dont have a fusible link.
the wire has been ghetto rigged (by the previous owner) so that its just a straight wire with a few connections for things like the fan relay and other stuff in between.

i try getting jumper cables from the positive of another battery to the post on my alternator, and sparks fly and it cranks, but its a no go.
my thinking is that i somehow managed to **** up a literally brand new optima red top, blow a few wires, and seriously ruin my day, all at once.
can anyone think how to fix this?
im a wiring noob.




oh, its parked near lynnhaven mall if anyone is local and wants to lend a helping hand.
ill pay cash on the spot for any help.

 

Ok, so does anything other than the starter work? Can you crank the car via the key? Do the headlights work? Do you have a volt meter? And why would you try to put 12v to your alt?

 

nothing works at all unless there is a direct connection from the battery to the alternator.
this is because something about a fusible link that connects the starter (and the rest of the cars electrical system) to the battery.
im not sure exactly, but i called my uncle and he told me to try that.
if it cranked, then i needed a new cable, but the problem is the cable isnt like it is supposed to be.

 

here is a place where they talk about using a fuse instead of fusable link. http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/electrical-links.html. and here is a 3rd gen discussion about it too. https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/elec...nks-fuses.html.
and here is another one http://camaroforums.com/forum/archiv...p/t-20782.html.
you have no problems. just get the wiring chart - find where the links are located and put them back, or if you need to - use a fuse.
the one article i gave you is for a chrysler but i understand it applies.

 

my problem is that all the wires that are supposed to be there, ARENT.
nothing is correct.

 

Have you checked your main batery ground? Start there. Then go here: http://www.austinthirdgen.org/index.php?pid=19 and start tracing wires. This will be a lot easier if you beg, borrow, steal a volt meter. It is bound to be something simple. can you post pictures of the junction that used to be the fuseable link?

 

im at home and the car is at the mall so no lol.
but you know the wire connectors that have crimps on one end and o rings on the other?
its a bunch of them with a bolt running through the middle.

yeah, bad. i know.

off the top of my head it has small wires going to:
fan relay hot +
battery +
alternator post +

then there is a wire going to a 25 IIRC amp fuse, which then goes into a harness and gets lost.
i think thats it.












i have another car, its a V6 chevy caprice, but all the parts like alternators and batteries should swap over (it uses a v8 water pump) so i am thinking about driving down there and swapping whatever i have to to get the camaro running.
if i am going to leave a car sitting i would much rather it be the caprice.
ya kno?

anyway, i printed off some wiring diagrams, but i need some help.
based on what i have said, that i get power when i connect the battery + to the back of the alt, is that all i need to do to get the car running if i have a good battery?

 

Check your connections where the wires are bolted together to make sure you have a good connection if all is good there check your fuse going into the harness you should be able to get her going if all is ok .

 

well i fingered it out
a wire melted.
that was it.
lol

my junk-tion touched metal and that killed everything.
ill post b4 and after pics i guess

 

Im glad it was something simple! Now the fun part of puting it right.

 

I agree I'm also glad you got it now to the fixing .

 

i dont have a before anything broke pic, but it wasnt too far off from the pic where i rigged it to work

here is the rigged version



and the pretty version


im going to cover it with silicone once i get a fusible link between the alt and the block, but for now its good