Electricity - I've got nothing

[eSJayDee]

Nothing works on the car - headlights, courtesy, horn, starter, clock, nothing.
Battery across the posts reads ~12.5v, get the same reading positive term to body ground.
The fusible link has negligle resistance (as opposed to infinite), so I assume this means it's okay.
My next guess is that the ammeter is fried or something. - (I assume that might cause cause this).
I also assume that a bad alternator would not cause this problem.
Don't know if this is relevant, but I've been having 'abnormalities' since installing a stereo.  (CD changer would momentarily kick out when you hit the brakes or turned on the turn signal; sometimes thje interior lights would be dim, etc.)
Any insight would be appreciated.
(I'm not looking forward to taking apart the dash to get to the ammeter. Actually taking it apart isn't so bad, it's getting things hooked back up again thats annoying.)

[Ghoste]

Fuses?  Bulkhead connector?  Those are easier to check than the alt guage but it could be a suspect too.

[71_deputy]

 

[Charger4404spd]

......and check the ground cable too.

[John_Kunkel]

A fusible link might pass the milliamps involved in meter checking but not pass enough current top light the smallest bulb.

I wouldn't trust a multimeter when it comes to fusible links, jumper around it to verify if it's good.

[Charger4404spd]

A fusible link might pass the milliamps involved in meter checking but not pass enough current top light the smallest bulb.

I wouldn't trust a multimeter when it comes to fusible links, jumper around it to verify if it's good.

[moparguy01]

also take a look at the main wire going to the bulkhead connector which leads to the AMP guage. these have a tendency of burning up and cause all sorts of problems.

Also check to make sure the fusible link is not even alittle loose in the bulkhead connector, my 68 coronet did that, I got real quick at jumping out popping the hood, wiggling the wire, the reverse, then driving off. my record was i beleive 10-12 seconds. been awhile since i had the car, i forgot my record. haha

[Mefirst]

I had this same thing happen in my ride a cupple of years ago.. Problem was a bad battery (old) and that one of the generator FLD wires had a bad contact..

/Tom

[eSJayDee]

I figured out the problem and fixed it sort of.  The problem was indeed at the ammeter & I suspect it was somewhat related to my stereo installation (I had to tug & pull quite a bit on wires & hoses due to the oversized stock replacement speaker.)
One of the connections on the back of the ammeter was loose.  I was able to get my hand up from underneath w/o taking apart the dash.
I'm gonna replace my instrument bezel this winter so hopefully finger tight will do for the few times I'm gonna be driving it in the near future.
Thanks for the suggestions.

[Badbob]

Fix that connection, check the bulkhead connector and check the main fusible link. These items have been known to cause breakdows and fires.

[Ghoste]

Badbob is right.  A loose wire on the back of the amp guage can wiggle around and short out.   Everything passes through that guage so it can leave you stranded.  I had to rig a jumper once to get home.  And a fire is worse.

[67RedCharger]

Fix that connection, check the bulkhead connector and check the main fusible link. These items have been known to cause breakdows and fires.

Absolutely right!  A loose connection offers resistance to current flow and it takes resistance to current flow as part of the formula for WATTS to be generated.  WATTS is heat, and heat is fire when you are dealing with a 60 amp power source.  Formula =

P=I (squared) times R   P=power   I = current  R= resistance

P is the same as watts   So with a 60 amp battery or current that is 60 squared and that equates to 3,600 times one ohm of resistance at the minimum so right off the batt you have 3,600 watts of heat being generated (enought to burn you or smoke there under your dash.)
Remember to remove the negative side of the battery prior to working under the dash.

  ~ 67RedCharger ~  (Also an Electronics technician, if you couldn't guess