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No Power

Old Mar 17, 2013 | 06:49 PM
  #1  
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Car: 1985 Camaro Iroc-Z
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No Power

Okay my car has no electrical power at all, I thought at first the battery was shot but it tested fine. What are some things I should check? The car has no power at all even in the passenger compartment, every key position does nothing and engages nothing power wise. There are no dash lights, no headlights, no taillights, and no turn signals. Some please lead me in the right direction.
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Old Mar 17, 2013 | 07:10 PM
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Car: '87 Camaro
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Re: No Power

Battery cable(s) old & broken
Battery terminals need cleaned

Ignition switch been taken out // replaced?
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Old Mar 17, 2013 | 07:21 PM
  #3  
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From: Elkhart, IN
Car: 1985 Camaro Iroc-Z
Engine: Currently Deciding
Transmission: TH350 Built
Axle/Gears: 3.73 POSI
Re: No Power

Originally Posted by t-top havoc
Battery cable(s) old & broken
Battery terminals need cleaned

Ignition switch been taken out // replaced?
Battery cables and terminals are good, by ignition switch do you mean the key ignition in the steering column?
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Old Mar 17, 2013 | 07:26 PM
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Re: No Power

Yes the part in the steering column
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Old Mar 17, 2013 | 07:28 PM
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Re: No Power

Originally Posted by t-top havoc
Battery cable(s) old & broken
Battery terminals need cleaned

Ignition switch been taken out // replaced?
Doesn't matter, should still have lights. I would look real hard at the battery terminals, and the ground off the battery.
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Old Mar 17, 2013 | 07:40 PM
  #6  
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From: Elkhart, IN
Car: 1985 Camaro Iroc-Z
Engine: Currently Deciding
Transmission: TH350 Built
Axle/Gears: 3.73 POSI
Re: No Power

Originally Posted by bygddy
Doesn't matter, should still have lights. I would look real hard at the battery terminals, and the ground off the battery.
I did I cleaned the battery terminals and the cables, the ground runs the alternator bracket and everything is tight with no rips or tears in the cables.
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Old Mar 17, 2013 | 07:42 PM
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Axle/Gears: factory stock
Re: No Power

Originally Posted by bygddy
Doesn't matter, should still have lights. I would look real hard at the battery terminals, and the ground off the battery.
Thanks! I learned something! :-)
Was wondering if it were possible something had not been plugged back in if there was a new switch put in.?.
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Old Mar 17, 2013 | 08:14 PM
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Car: 1985 Camaro Iroc-Z
Engine: Currently Deciding
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Axle/Gears: 3.73 POSI
Re: No Power

There were no new switches put in.
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Old Mar 17, 2013 | 08:18 PM
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Re: No Power

Originally Posted by Cars'n'Guitars
I did I cleaned the battery terminals and the cables, the ground runs the alternator bracket and everything is tight with no rips or tears in the cables.
Cleaned how? I chased this a few weeks ago on something, battery had been disconnected for a couple weeks, cleaned all the sht off them and reinstalled, no power anywhere. Chased my tail cause I was positive it was clean and tight....finally went back, and tightened more, was actually concerned about breaking the positive lol. But it fixed it, if not the case, follow the positive lead to the starter and look for something loose there.
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Old Mar 17, 2013 | 08:21 PM
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From: Elkhart, IN
Car: 1985 Camaro Iroc-Z
Engine: Currently Deciding
Transmission: TH350 Built
Axle/Gears: 3.73 POSI
Re: No Power

Originally Posted by bygddy
Cleaned how? I chased this a few weeks ago on something, battery had been disconnected for a couple weeks, cleaned all the sht off them and reinstalled, no power anywhere. Chased my tail cause I was positive it was clean and tight....finally went back, and tightened more, was actually concerned about breaking the positive lol. But it fixed it, if not the case, follow the positive lead to the starter and look for something loose there.
Cleaned with a dremel until the metal was shiny and bare, the starter wires are tight because I put those on today. Can you get a picture of your starter wires and battery cable set-up with the grounds?
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Old Mar 17, 2013 | 08:32 PM
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Re: No Power

Originally Posted by Cars'n'Guitars
Cleaned with a dremel until the metal was shiny and bare, the starter wires are tight because I put those on today. Can you get a picture of your starter wires and battery cable set-up with the grounds?
Watching walking dead with the fam, will go out and see how acsesible it is after.
Dave
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Old Mar 17, 2013 | 08:34 PM
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Car: 1985 Camaro Iroc-Z
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Transmission: TH350 Built
Axle/Gears: 3.73 POSI
Re: No Power

Originally Posted by bygddy
Watching walking dead with the fam, will go out and see how acsesible it is after.
Dave
Thanks man I really appreciate any pictures and help you can give.
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Old Mar 17, 2013 | 08:46 PM
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Re: No Power

Fusible link at the starter

There are about 2 or 3 wires that hook THE REST OF THE CAR to the battery, using the big terminal of the starter as the junction post. Each of those wires has a fusible link in it to protect the wire. A FL is a piece of smaller gauge wire (usually 3 - 4 ga smaller than the wire it protects) with some sort of hi-temp insulation, that is supposed to burn up in case of a short in the protected wire. That system is MUCH more reliable than a "fuse" such as would plug into a fuse block or something, at that power level.

One of those has burned up in your car.

Unhook all the wires from that starter terminal, after of course, disconnecting the — batt terminal from the batt itself; inspect carefully, including pulling on them to see which one stretches; shouldn't be too hard to find the culprit.
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Old Mar 17, 2013 | 08:49 PM
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From: Elkhart, IN
Car: 1985 Camaro Iroc-Z
Engine: Currently Deciding
Transmission: TH350 Built
Axle/Gears: 3.73 POSI
Re: No Power

Originally Posted by sofakingdom
Fusible link at the starter

There are about 2 or 3 wires that hook THE REST OF THE CAR to the battery, using the big terminal of the starter as the junction post. Each of those wires has a fusible link in it to protect the wire. A FL is a piece of smaller gauge wire (usually 3 - 4 ga smaller than the wire it protects) with some sort of hi-temp insulation, that is supposed to burn up in case of a short in the protected wire. That system is MUCH more reliable than a "fuse" such as would plug into a fuse block or something, at that power level.

One of those has burned up in your car.

Unhook all the wires from that starter terminal, after of course, disconnecting the — batt terminal from the batt itself; inspect carefully, including pulling on them to see which one stretches; shouldn't be too hard to find the culprit.
I looked before I put the wiring on the starter and it didn't seem bad, tomorrow I'm gonna grab another battery and try that, if that doesn't work I'll look again and grab some pictures of my wiring.
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Old Mar 21, 2013 | 05:57 PM
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Car: 1985 Camaro Iroc-Z
Engine: Currently Deciding
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Axle/Gears: 3.73 POSI
Re: No Power

Okay the no power problem has been resolved, now I am having distributor problems. What are all the wires that need to be going into the distributor?
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 07:36 AM
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Re: No Power

So, what was the problem?

All the wiring the dist needs, is power, and maybe tach. Then of course if it's computer-controlled, the connection from the module to the computer.
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 02:38 PM
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Car: 91 Camaro RS, 84 2.8 5speed
Engine: 305 5.0L
Transmission: Auto, 5 speed
Re: No Power

My car did this, heres a few things to try:
1. Theres the connector where all the engine harness wires go into your firewall (big black plug, drivers side, righs under the windshield). When my car did that, i wiggled that plug and everything came on.

2. My friends camaro did this too, his wires at the starter were messed up, and a fusible link was blown, check that.

3. Check ALL of your fuses in your fuce box, start with the ACC fuse, and headlight, all the lamp fuses pretty much. I've seen cases where multiple fuses go out.

Good luck, keep us posted.
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 02:39 PM
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Car: 91 Camaro RS, 84 2.8 5speed
Engine: 305 5.0L
Transmission: Auto, 5 speed
Re: No Power

lol I see i posted late, im sorry.
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 03:48 PM
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Car: 1985 Camaro Iroc-Z
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Axle/Gears: 3.73 POSI
Re: No Power

Originally Posted by Jk_Under
lol I see i posted late, im sorry.
It's fine I'm sure it may help others but thanks anyways.
Originally Posted by sofakingdom
So, what was the problem?

All the wiring the dist needs, is power, and maybe tach. Then of course if it's computer-controlled, the connection from the module to the computer.
The problem was there was a wiring attached to the starter that was not supposed to be there. What do all the wires look like that need to be connected to the distributor. I'm pretty positive I have everything that needs to be connected but I could be missing something too.
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 05:38 PM
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From: Paris Texas
Car: 91 Camaro RS, 84 2.8 5speed
Engine: 305 5.0L
Transmission: Auto, 5 speed
Re: No Power

Be sure the plug wires are correct, not touching other metal or
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Old Mar 22, 2013 | 08:14 PM
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From: Elkhart, IN
Car: 1985 Camaro Iroc-Z
Engine: Currently Deciding
Transmission: TH350 Built
Axle/Gears: 3.73 POSI
Re: No Power

Originally Posted by Jk_Under
Be sure the plug wires are correct, not touching other metal or
Already did that multiple times.
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