89 Chev Van- Electrical light/ no power to instrument panel

Hello All,

We were working on our 89 Chevy Conversion Van today, while repairing a wire from the headlight switch I dropped it and it grounded out - the van engine died and wouldn't restart- now I have no headlights, instrument panel lights, or basically anything electrical except the dome lights.

We check the obvious fuses and they are all okay- including the ones by the firewall- Would there be any other fuses that would effect the electrical system that we may have missed?

I had to jump power to the tail lamps on the fuse box and got the van to start - but as soon as I turn on the headlight the van dies. The headlights will come on with the jumper wire- but the van won't run.

If you have any suggestions on what may be causing this or how we can maybe fix it- any help at all would be very appreciated.

Thanks

Reply to
quilts4u
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There should be two or three fusible links:

On the starter lug that the positive battery cable is on, another one near the outside bulkhead connector. Located on the firewall at the outside of the fuse box, if I'm not mistaken in that old of a van. Especially if it's a G-20.

I hope this helps?

Refinish King

Reply to
Refinish King

Reply to
quilts4u

Have you removed the ground straps?

Have you tried running a booster cable from where the ground cable bolts to the block, to a good clean point on the body, maybe two booster cables. Then try putting on the lights while it's running?

Sounds suspiciously like a bad ground, and also ground the radiator support to the block where the battery cable goes with a ten gauge jumper.

Then try putting on the lights to see if it stalls.

Is the ground cable really secured to the block well, try removing it physically, cleaning it, checking for corrosion in the insulation where the eyelet that the bolt passes through hasn't gotten so bad. That the connection is marginal?

Try to replace the cable if there is any sign of corrosion at that point, because it's only a crimped joint, if you see corrosion, it's in the mechanical joint of the wire and the eyelet also.

Just a few suggestions I hope help?

Electrical is a pain in the Johnson, but can be profitable if you get proficient at it.

Good luck

Refinish King

PS If I may be of any assistance, don't hesitate to shout for me in the group, I'm only too glad to help!

Reply to
Refinish King

Hello Thank you for the information. I finally got fed up with it and took in to a local shop to be fixed. I have to go out of town on Thursday and didn't have any more time to mess with it. It turned out to be a fusible link down by the starter. They knew what it was right away but could not find the link. So they are going to run a new one and solve the problem. I had looked every where for that thing and couldn't find it. Your right Electrical problems are a pain in the butt. I am very good at figuring things like that out. But this one beat me. Thanks again for the information Feeling better now

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Reply to
quilts4u

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