This is my first post on thirdgen.org, so I appoligize for possiblly posting wrong and sounding unexprienced. I have a 1987 iroc-z with the 5.7 and automatic. I have been slowely going through everything replacing stuff. I put a new mtor in it this summer and luckily it fired right up. I had no problems other than my front seal on my transmission leaking. I decided to pull it out, have it rebuilt and put it back in. Today I finished putting everything in. The battery was dead from sitting so I jumped it using my other car. I turnded over the key, and clicked as if I didn't have enough power. So i decided to also hook up my battery charger to it. As soon as I did this everything died. I have absloutly no power to anything electrical in my car. I also heard a faint buzzing and possibly a wiff of smoke, but I see no burnt wires. Also I realized my cables were getting hot, so I took them off. I tried hoking power up to just the started + side and still nothing. I tried to search forums on here and I think it is possibly a bad starter solenoid? Or possibly a bad fussible link? Any input, help, or direction to an appropriate thread would be greatly appreciated.

 

Are you sure you didn't inadvertently reverse the charger polarity when you connected it?

 

It is possible but I I don't think so.

 

The scenario you describe could easily have been caused by a reverse polarity "jump". I would carefully attach the charger to your battery with one cable disconnected and see if it charges the battery. If it does, then I would reconnect the cable after the battery has fully charged and see what you have.

If it doesn't, then I would suggest trying a different charger on your battery with one cable disconnected.

BTW, it's always a good idea when making connections like jumper cables or a battery charger to tap the terminal with the clip before attaching it just to make sure that you don't have reversed polarity or a dead short somewhere.

When you say your cables got hot, was that just sitting, or only while trying to turn the starter? When I see your answers, I'll try to help you.

 

ive done the whole reverse polarity thing before....it tends to blow a lot of fuses. you might wanna give the fuse box a going over.

but i agree, the symptoms you posted sound exactly what happened when i hooked up the charger backwards.

 

Well I looked everything over fuses and everything, and realized that the main power wire got melted to the underside of my header, creating a huge short. I feel stupid now for asking but I am happy to see my car running and hopefully take it for a drive tonight for the first time! Thank you for taking the time to reply.

 

atleast it was something easy

 

Good catch. I'm glad you are up and running. DRIVE that thang!