Short story long, interior lights don't come on, headlights pop up but don't illuminate. Pulled starter and took pic of cavity and have a couple questions. The black & white cylinders enclose the fusible links? And how to tell if they've gone bad? They're hardwired into the harness so have to splice new ones in?

Also, there appears to be a broken sensor wire tucked up in behind there. What sensor is this?



Thanks in advance for any input.

 

1Those are fusible links.
​2When hooked up to power, take a test light and check the wire down stream for power.
3 Same as splicing in any other wire. Buy a new link, crimp or preferably solder it in place of the bad link
4 Knock sensor

 

The black and white cylinders are not the fusible links, they are merely the connectors that join the fusible links to the larger wires that originate in the harness behind them. The actual fusible links are the rust brown small wires that connect to the terminal ring that goes onto the starter's big connection(the +12V feed from the battery. The sensor in question is the knock (detonation) sensor and once you splice the new proper connector onto that wire you'll simply plug the connector onto the sensor.

 

Thank you both

So is it safe to assume that if the brown/rust/orange wires aren't burnt/fried/severed, then they're okay? Or I should test them (for continuity?) because they might they be severed inside the insulation?

 

Hi Freejack, your best bet would be to check them because your already there. They can go open inside without showing outward signs, but that's kinda rare, usually they melt the insulation if they're overloaded but vibration can cause them to fail too, which wouldn't be obvious just by looking at them. If the fusible links do check out OK your next place to check for +12v power would be at the red wire going into the headlight switch, as shown in this handy wiring diagram:

 

Handy diagram, indeed. Looks like my Electrical Engineering final exam. Might be an all nighter. lol

 

UPDATE: From bad to worse

While reinstalling starter, the cheap plastic end cap crumbled. Ordered new starter and a Delco reman alternator. Unfortunately, I got the wrong alternator and I have no idea on the specs or compatibility. Are all alternators created equal?

My car has a 4-pin connector, but only 2 wires; and this reman is looking for a 2 paddle connector. Any chance I can use this alternator if I adapt the two wires to the two paddles, given that it can mount properly? Pics below.


paddle connector

4 pin