I have been looking for about a week to figure out why I don't have any power (no headlights, no courtesy lights, etc.) I replaced the battery, both cables, and checked the fuseable link by the left headlights. I confimred at the starter terminal to ground that power is getting down to the starter, but it seems that's where it ends. Can a bad solinoid at the starter be the issue. Does all positive voltage go through the starter? HELP!

I have been looking for about a week to figure out why I don't have any power (no headlights, no courtesy lights, etc.) I replaced the battery, both cables, and checked the fuseable link by the left headlights. I confimred at the starter terminal to ground that power is getting down to the starter, but it seems that's where it ends. Can a bad solinoid at the starter be the issue. Does all positive voltage go through the starter? HELP!

(I posted this in electrical and then noticed troubleshooting, so I put it here, too.)

You may have a fusible link or 2 down by the starter, check them for continuity.

I didn't see any when I was under the car.

Do you have the wire from the battery to the junction block connected? It's in front of the battery by the right headlights.
That wire feeds the alt. the battery connection at the horn relay
and the red wire at the voltage regulator. It's an orange fusible link.
There is a fusible link at the horn relay that feeds the rest of the
electrical system.

Your going the wrong way.The cable going to starter is for the starter only.
There should be a red wire coming off the big + cable at the battery--this is what feeds the power to the car. it runs behind the battery to a junction block. It then goes across the core support and connects to the voltage regulator then it goes to the fuse block.
You could have a bad voltage regulator?? or an open (broken) wire.Thers is also fusable links that where used from the battery to voltage regulator.They look like a wire but will burn away if voltage/amps are to much.

It goes to the "BAT" terminal on the horn relay.

I can e-mail you the engine compartment wiring diagram if it will help.

I have been looking for about a week to figure out why I don't have any power (no headlights, no courtesy lights, etc.) I replaced the battery, both cables, and checked the fuseable link by the left headlights. I confimred at the starter terminal to ground that power is getting down to the starter, but it seems that's where it ends. Can a bad solinoid at the starter be the issue. Does all positive voltage go through the starter? HELP!

(I posted this in electrical and then noticed troubleshooting, so I put it here, too.)
did you have voltage at the fuseable link or at the horn relay by the drivers-side of the radiator support???
battery power comes across radiator support to the horn relay from a red 10-gauge wire connected to a junction block terminal behind the battery, then goes to the positive terminal on the battery.
cable to the starter only gives power to the starter:thumbsup:

I can e-mail you the engine compartment wiring diagram if it will help.

Thanks. I'll PM my email address.

There is not a wire from the positive on the battery to the horn relay. There never has been one from when I got the car back in 1985. Everything has alway gone through the starter. What wire gauge should I run to the horn relay?

There is not a wire from the positive on the battery to the horn relay. There never has been one from when I got the car back in 1985. Everything has alway gone through the starter. What wire gauge should I run to the horn relay?

There was when the car left the factory.
http://macc.chevelles.net/69diagram_color.jpg

BTW Tony, please don't post the same thing in more than one forum as it just makes for too much confusion.

Sorry about posting twice. Message received!

Thanks for the help. I just found the connector block behind the battery and connected a lead from the battery.

I now have power. I wonder how it worked all those years???

:thumbsup:
That "lead" from the battery pigtail to the terminal block is a fusible link.

Don't know why the diagram doesn't show that, it shows the orange one on the voltage regulator.

I picked up a 14 gauge fuseable link. It is only about 3" long. I hope that is good enough. If not do they sell fuseable links by the foot somewhere?

Yes they do.
Auto parts stores sell it on a roll.
Three inches is too short. It should be more like six or seven
yo be effective.

Yes they do.
Auto parts stores sell it on a roll.
Three inches is too short. It should be more like six or seven
yo be effective.

Thanks, it sound like I need NAPA or something more like that. Out of the three chainstores I went to I was only able to come up with the short one.

Everyone--Thanks for all the help!!!:D

Dean,

Just wanted to let you know that the wiring diagram helped me out - thanks!

Dean,

Just wanted to let you know that the wiring diagram helped me out - thanks!

:cool: :thumbsup:

I posted the same problem in June, had a knee operation. It was not until today that I had a chance to dig further into the problem. I got the same advice to connect a wire between the battery + cable using the small wire and the terminal behind the battery. Of course, mine never had that particular wire. Mine came off the starter, through the wiring harness to the same post behind the battery. When my + cable shorted out, it shorted or blew the fuseable link. Rather than tear the wiring harness apart to replace this fuseable link, I opted for the suggested fix to link the + post to the terminal. A much simpler fix. Thanks for all the help. You guys are great.

Hi, Guys. I am having basically the same problem. I figured I would continue on with this thread since it seems to be the right topic. I was cranking my 68 El Camino the other day and then bam...nothing. No Power. I had the battery checked and it was determined to be faulty, so I replaced it under warranty. I still have zero power anywhere in the vehicle. Headlights won't turn on either. I have ready the above threads and have tested what I can. I have a 14 GA wire running off the battery to a bolt behind the front right headlight. From there the red wire runs all the way across to the other headlight area where it then combines with another red wire. They Head into the firewall in a bundle with other wires from there. I have 12 Volts at the red wire behind the front left headlight before entering the firewall. Would a bad voltage regulator cause all electrical not to work and vehicle not to start? What about a bad horn relay? Any particular fuses in the fuse box that would cause all power to be out ? I took a flash light at the fuse box and they look fine. Just need some ideas on where to start trouble shooting this thing. A new voltage regulator costs about 15 bucks, so that would be an easy fix, but I don't know if that would short out. Thanks in advance

One more thing....could an issue with the starter connections cause an entire electrical failure?

I had a similar problem. All the lights inside and the head lights in my chevelle went dead. Could not get it to start either. It turn out the connector behind to fuse box was so oxidize do to age. The main 12v feed going to the fuse box into the connector got so hot it melted the plastic around it. Any you guys are having problem check connector behind the fuse panel.

Just a update. I found that the wire leading from the ignition to the starter had melted in a spot on the header. It still looks like it is intact all the way through, but I will replace. I still don't see how that would kill the entire power though out. Back of the fuse box looks fine. Voltage regulator is good. Only other thing would be the horn relay.

Just a update. I found that the wire leading from the ignition to the starter had melted in a spot on the header. It still looks like it is intact all the way through, but I will replace. I still don't see how that would kill the entire power though out. Back of the fuse box looks fine. Voltage regulator is good. Only other thing would be the horn relay.
the red wire coming from the horn relay is connected to the red wire at the +pos alternator terminal and must go thru a fuseable link to provide power to the fuse box and starter switch. and headlights.
if you have power at the horn relay and not at the fuse box the fuseable link is blown between the horn relay and the fusebox.
you will need to unwrap the factory harness from the relay end and check/replace the fusable link.:thumbsup: