Yesterday I was testing my lights because I just got them hooked up. And I find out my light switch is bad so I ordered a new today.So I was using the red wire(from the light switch) and putting it on my headlight wire and my marking lights and all of that. Well when I shut the door it moved the red wire and the black(ground) and made them touch. When this happened my headlights and marking lights went out that second. My dome light and courtesy lights went really dim and slower went out,then there was smoke coming from the passenger side of the car around the distributor. I started the car and it still runs and starts but no lights at all. So I checked my tail and acc. fuse but neither of them get power at all. So what should I look at or look for?

 

you burned the fusable link coming from the big terminal on the starter that feeds the light circuit . there are several different fusable links , which is why some stuff still works and some don't . replace the burned fusable link and you'll be back in business .

 

Alright Thanks!I'll look at it tomorrow and tell ya what i find out!

 

What gauge wire do you think that is?

 

How do I know which one it is? I looked today and there are three red wires with a fusible link in them that run to the starter.

 

Theirs another one coming off the Positive at the Battery,They should be 16- 20 Gauge links.they are Red or Rust in color.

 

There are three red wires with fusible links that turn into a rush color that hook up to the starter. 2 of them run together and hook up to an eye hook,those two fusible links are both 16 amps. Then the other on runs down to the starter by it's self and that one is a 20 amp. I replaced the 20 amp one with an inline fuse,still no power to the lights.

 

Try the one at the Battery.

 

If it was that big one wouldn't my car not start? Because I thought that big one by the battery was the main power down to the starter. What do those other two down by the starter do? Do you think it could be one of those?

 

I know when I had a headlight problem awhile back,my fusible link D was the culprit.(wire was broken)This info is for the 86 Fire Birds,so I would assume that GM used the same or similar for the 86 Chevy.

 

Did your car still start?

 

Yes it did,I just didn't have headlights.

 

I don't have any lights, power lock,or my hatch release button doesn't work. It's all on the same circuit. But if you think that is the one I will try it.

 

Just feel it,you can tell if it is separated.

 

What should it feel like if it's broken?

 

The wire will be broke inside the insulation or it will be burnt in half but the insulation could still be still intact.

 

Alright I'll look at the fuse by the battery

 

I found it! It was one of the 16's running down to the starter replaced it with an inline fuse works perfect! The only light that doesn't work is my third brake light. Do you know anything about those?

 

Hey that's great,I'm glade you found it.
Try pulling down on the contact that's on the hatch itself,that spring is 28 yrs. old and has a tendency to weaken.

 

I am not getting any power to the thing that the hatch makes contact with. Down by the hatch motor and all that stuff down there. Everything thing else works down there but no power to the thing that makes contact with the hatch thing.

 

Clean up this switch and pull down on it,enough to maybe open up the spring a little.

 

I don't get power to this switch at all.

 

I don't know the procedure for checking that switch but I tested mine with a test light and I'm not getting no power there either even with the brake peddle down,but I still have brake lights.So I would advice you to pull down or put a piece of cardboard behind the switch on the Hatch itself.

 

 

Well good news boys,I don't know what we did but I got it to work! So all my outside lights work!One more problem tho. On my dash in my instrument panel all my lights light up but 4 of them. They have a little glow to them but like not enough current or something to make them fully glow. And my right turn signal light in the dash stays a steady burn even if I don't have the turn signal on.All 4 of those lights that don't work are the four back ones by the right turn signal light. Any ideas?Do you think the computer board on the back of it could be messed up?