Re: Car died on way to beer store

Look for a fusable link. I don't know if your car has one but most cars from as long as I can remember have had them. They are usually in line with the main power cable going from the alternator to the firewall connection.

...Ron

--

Some are wise and some are otherwise

I found two pill-shaped things on the positive battery cable. I opened them up, just by popping off one end on each, and I saw a pin connector, which looked nice and normal, but no fuse. Is there a fuse in these pill shaped things ?

Thanks

They look like pill shaped things, but you can't usually open them. They're rubber or plastic on the outside.

How can you tell if they are OK ?

you guys are missing the most important diagnostic question...did you ever get your beer?????

OK, OK !! No, but fortunately I have a reserve which will allow me to survive a few more days. Still haven't had much time to fix the T/A, but the daily driver is still running, for a possible beer trip. Got to get my priorities straight, and head on out to the beer store soon.

Sounds like the fusable link that goes to the starter. It powers almost the whole car.

Yeah, I'd have to agree it sounds like the fusible link. I had similar symptoms when mine went (70 Camaro), got towed several times, spent

Ken

Ken,

I haven't done the "$300 to fix it" yet, fortunately. Trying to avoid that, of course! Is the ignition fusible link right next to the battery, or is it the one down at the starter? The 2 pill-shaped links at the battery look normal.

Also, what did the short turn out to be ?

And how long did you spend finding it ??

Thanks

I just checked the fusible links at the starter. There were 3 of them, each about an inch long and pill-shaped. They all looked fine, no melting, nothing unusual at all. The only other thing I noticed around the starter was that there were some copper wire strands poking out from 2 wires where they got connected together to the starter.

The 2 fusible links at the battery look good too. All fuses in the fuse box are ok.

What now ? Any other fuses or links to check somehere ?

If the fusible links look good from the outside, they sould be OK, right ?

Thanks

Here's something that hasn't been mentioned; Try clening the bulkhead connector that plugs onto the back (engine bay side) of the fuse box. Disconnect the battery first! The grease the manufacturer uses gets a resistive through the years and creates weird electrical problems. I use a stiff toothbrush with wd40 on the male pins and a toothpick for the female ends.

Just an idea.......

Did you use an electrical tester to test the fusible links, sometimes if not most when they go they still look ok.

No. I can only get one hand up in the starter area. Can I remove the links without damaging them?

I finally found a fried link!! It has 2 orange wires going in, and one link wire going into the starter. I was staring at it, and didn't see it.

What components are fed from this link ? They must have drawn too much voltage, to cause the fry, right ?

I'm not sure what it feeds, but if you ask the dealer he might look up the specs for you.

Well, after spending all that money, it turns out there is a link which runs right off the battery and feeds pretty much the entire car. It tested good on an ohms test, but I guess would fail when any serious amperage was drawn. The fix cost me $3 at the parts store.

Egad, it haunted me for about a year. It dropped dead on the Bay Bridge in SF; on highway 17 in the mountains near Santa Cruz; on two occasions with dates in the car; one night at the drags, etc. The AAA loves me :-)

Ken

Other than age and wear, excessive cranking of the engine can fry it. The solenoid can draw a lot of power. I've had mine smoke on startup... always from cranking the motor for several seconds at a time. Also, I have an alarm with this dumb night vision (automatic headlights) feature. So, in the dark or in the garage, the headlights are drawing power too, from the same circuit. To prevent these little calamities, I now carry a few test leads with me. I'm glad to hear you found it.

Ken

I put in a 16 awg wire in place of the fuse link that blew. Everything works again!!!! (for now). Thanks. !!!! :) :) :)

Lecher9000 Spilled my beer when they jumped on the table and proclaimed in :

Cool!

So, been to the beer store yet?

NOI