So a few months ago my 1986 Camaro IROC Z TPI started having a problem where the light buzzer never went off even when the engine was running and it kept blowing my gauge fuse. I was going to put off looking at it until it got cooler out (it's been 90 plus every day since April or May) since I have a later model Jeep I can drive. Well today I felt like driving the Camaro. She drove well, I drove her 25 miles initially, a little further for lunch and on my way back home I stopped at a convince store, went in and when I came out I turned the key and I heard the fuel pump prime but when I tried to start the car it wouldn't crank at all like if the car is in R, OD,D,2 or 1. But the car was in park, I played around with it shifting back between park and neutral to see if it would start but no dice. I called AAA the tow truck driver before towing wanted to try something, he banged on my starter with a flathead and had me start the car and it worked! He said the starter is bad.

Aside from the starter, I did some research on here could the Fusible links be bad as well? Could this be related to my gauge fuse/headlight problem?

Regarding the fusible links do the ones from Advance Auto or NAPA work? Every single one I find online says May not your 1986 Camaro. Also is there an AC Delco starter? I can't seem to find one, just other brands.

A buddy of mine got out of Active Duty a few months ago and is working as a tech in a repair shop. If he doesn't have drill this weekend Ill have him look at my car and see if these problems are connected. I figure I get a good idea here first.

 

Sounds like first you should remove all the wires(including the fusible links) connected to the positive post on the starter, clean the connectors up good until they're nice and shiny, clean up the post while you're at it and reconnect them all making sure the nut is tight enough to hold them securely but DONT over tighten them and see if that helps. When solenoids start to fail they start not working
after they get heated up a bit, so if cleaning doesn't help check that out
Good luck

 

Ill try that first.

 

I used these fusible linkks on my '83...

https://www.repairconnector.com/products/-GM-Starter-Solenoid-Fusible-Link-14-Gauge-.htmlp