HELP HELP 1982 Chevy G10 just up'ed and died!

You gonna have to find a mechanic or someone to diagnose the problem. Did you check the battery? Was it really bad? Throwing parts will cost you lots more than the mechanic. Could be starter. Could be cables. Could be....

You may have burned a fusible link via an electrical short somewhere in the wiring harnass.

You should start with the basics first; check the nominal battery voltage - it should be around 12.6 volts for a battery at near full charge, then visually inspect the battery cables and connections to the starter, ground, alternator, and power junction box. If everything is good, clean and tight there, I would look for burned fusible link coming off of the starter B+ stud or at the power junction box B+ stud. I don't know exactly where it is on your vehicle but a visual inspection should turn it/them up. If a link is fried you will need to determine which load served by it has either shorted to ground or is drawing excess current.

Toyota MDT in MO

I did notice that there was no continuity between the negative battery terminal and ground. There also didn't appear to be any current draw between the positive terminal (disconnected) and the battery (with the neg terminal screwed on). But I didn't check it with the ignition key engaged if that would be significant.

Working in the business I *have* seen people attach their battery terminals to the battery --- right over the protective plastic covers that come on some new batteries. I suggested a blown fuse based on the premise that the new battery was working, charged, and hooked up properly. It really sounds like you at first had a near dead battery from the original complaint. If you *had* a dead battery, then improperly hooked up the new battery (lets say backwards) you could have blown the main fuse link easily. Or if you hooked up the new battery but failed to achieve proper post to cable contact you could be experiencing 100% voltage drop as you witnessed between the neg terminal and the body. It sounds like an easy problem to diagnose if I could see it in person...

Toyota MDT in MO

After I pulled it out, it read about 7 v. I did leave out alot of details. Sorry...

Nah, not possibly to hook it up backwards. Cables are too short to go anywhere else but where they're supposed to.

I did an actual continuity check with a VOM (which audibly alerts the presence of continuity). I can't remember if the neg cable was disconnected or not, but it really shouldn't make a difference I think.

It shouldn't make a difference if the battery is hooked up when you check continuity from the battery neg post to the chassis?

Either rethink that or correct me on what you are trying to say.

Anyway, use voltage for your tests and you will be much happier. Measure battery voltage, then look for that same voltage at all points where it should be present, then look for near zero voltage at all points that are supposed to be solid ground.

Toyota MDT in MO

Uhm... You have to turn the key after replacing the battery. Nothing is supposed to happen when you swap the battery.

: )

Anyhow, what do you mean by "wouldn't start"?

My 86 G10 would turn over fine and that would be it. Occasionally it would start and then just die while driving. Turned out the be the computer under the drivers seat.

It was kinda funny... I had pulled the computer out so I could reach under the seat. Whenever the engine died I'd drop her into neutral while still going down the road and then I'd reach under the seat and give the computer a sharp rap with my knuckles and try turning the key. The engine usually fired up after one or two raps to the computer.

ASSuming that the new and old battery has the terminals in the same places!!!

I'd try pushstarting if it's a manual, and taking it to a mechanic or someone else with a meter who can start looking at fusible links.

Start from the battery and work forward to the lights... somewhere along the line you'll find something open.

--scott

Well, that would do it, all right.

--scott

There you go, the connections on the negative cable are bad. The cable needs cleaning on 'both' ends which is pretty common on older beasts.

When the negative is that corroded, I recommend cleaning both ends of the positive cable as well.

Sometimes the bad connection is where the cable goes into the battery clamp also.

Mike

Well, ground is ground, and testing ground against ground will always yield 0 ohms (or 0 volts). If the neg terminal is connected to ground, testing continuity between it and the chassis will yield 0 ohms (causing the meter to beep). Testing continuity between the chassis and another point on the chassis will also yield 0 ohms, causing another beep. That's my understanding of electrics anyway. The meter in continuity mode generates it's own voltage, and if it reads that back (i.e no resistance) then there's continuity between those 2 points. Maybe typical automotive use VOMs don't have a continuity mode. It's used an awful lot in electronics, and even by electricians I would imagine. In my case, there was no continuity between the negative terminal and chassis ground, which might be the problem right there. I'm going "there" now to check it out some more. Thanks for the help.

Go jumper cables?

Pull the battery cable off of the NEG battery post. Clamp a jumper cable to the post. Clamp the other end of the cable to the engine block. Does it work now?