Dead Charger seeking CPR

[mindless1]

Hi gents,

Dead as a doornail - electrical issue.  I could really use some ideas on what to test, or what to try replacing.  I have a decent multimeter.

I went to start the car, (hadn't been started for about 2 days prior) and it was turning over, started to catch normally, had probably reached 4-500rpms for just a second then suddenly the car goes dead as a doornail, and there she lay ever since.  Dead as in everything to the car is dead, no interior lights, no starter, nothing.  Battery is fine, I have juice to the starter too.  I tried replacing the starter relay, no dice.  There was a fusible link coming off the starter relay that I have also tested to be fine.  Any ideas as to what else?  The electrical diagrams in the charger shop manual leave a lot to the imagination I'm afraid.  Thanks for any thoughts.

[1969chargerrtse]

I'm at work but I took a quick look at Chris's site  http://www.1969chargerregistry.com/pictures/engcompt.jpg  And I see the plus batt wire goes to the starter relay and "T" on the engine wiring block on the firewall.  I would go from that pin to ground on the car body.  Then you can see if the batt to ground cable is good and that you are at that hot point on the firewall?  It's a start for now.  If the point at "T" is not hot (12v) then look into the starter relay or wires to "T".  The fact that everything is dead is better than things like" How come everytime I turn on my wipers the horns beep?"  Put the black meter wire to a body frame metal point.  Then the positive lead to the Batt cable, then the starter relay red wire, then to the "T " point on the main wire bulkhead plug and and see if you have 12v.  Are the fuses hot? 12V to ground?

[mikepmcs]

bad grounds battery and starter, corrosion maybe.
check terminals battery and starter to see if they are loose.

v/r
mike

[supserdave]

Did you burn out the fuseible link?

[GreenMachine]

bad grounds battery and starter, corrosion maybe.
check terminals battery and starter to see if they are loose.

v/r
mike

The first thing I would do is use jumper cables to jumper the Neg. battery terminal to ground. The ground cables are the first to corrode and sometimes they look fine on the outside but are corroded underneath.

[mindless1]

Thanks for the ideas so far.  I'm at work, trying to earn enough to keep a charger on the road so I will try some things tonight and report back.  Just having the diagram is going to go a long ways.  The fuseable link does appear to be healthy, and I've tried replacing the starter relay.  When you asked about the fuses are you referring to the accessory fuses in the glove box?

[Steve P.]

Something to ALLLLLLLWAYS keep in mind is that a battery terminal can be loose. If this is the case you can move it and it can spark and send you to the hospital with some very serious burns.

I alllllllways place a rag over the terminal ends at the battery beforechecking them for ANYTHING.... I took a very pretty young woman to the hospital long ago when she hooked up a battery jumper to a customers battery and it blew sky high... 


To the problem: Start at the battery and check everything from A - Z. Meaning check everything without skipping anything.

If the lights are not working inside or out, you have a lack of power. Could be:
   
a dead battery
Bad terminal
bad cable
corrosion on cable ends OR in the middle of the cable
Poor ground


After you check these things and have corrected anything that is bad or wrong and it still doesn't start it is time for a volt/amp tester.

Read voltage at battery                You should have minimum 12.5 volts Any less and it needs to be charged
                                                 or it is  not good.       
                                     
Read voltage at the starter relay.  It should read the same as at the battery.

If all this checks out good you need to check your bulkhead connector. The hot charge wire that runs to the AMP. gauge will more than likely be the problem. It powers EVERYTHING inside the car and mostly everything out. The wire and the connector are too small and lightweight. There have been many posts on this here and web sites that teach the repair. I don't have it handy or I would post the link..

Let us know what you find..

[1969chargerrtse]

bad grounds battery and starter, corrosion maybe.
check terminals battery and starter to see if they are loose.

v/r
mike

The first thing I would do is use jumper cables to jumper the Neg. battery terminal to ground. The ground cables are the first to corrode and sometimes they look fine on the outside but are corroded underneath.

It shouldn't be related to the positive cable to the starter, as the purpose of that cable is to turn the starter.  He has no voltage anywhere, no sign of life (needs CPR) so it's has to be from the negative ground cable, or positive clamp on to the battery down to the starter relay down to  "T" connection on the firewall plug. I think. 
The big boys will be home from work soon, and he'll get hit with all the info he needs outside of someone going there and fixing it.

[Steve P.]

I think maybe he meant starter relay...

[1969chargerrtse]

Something to ALLLLLLLWAYS keep in mind is that a battery terminal can be loose. If this is the case you can move it and it can spark and send you to the hospital with some very serious burns.

I alllllllways place a rag over the terminal ends at the battery beforechecking them for ANYTHING.... I took a very pretty young woman to the hospital long ago when she hooked up a battery jumper to a customers battery and it blew sky high... 


To the problem: Start at the battery and check everything from A - Z. Meaning check everything without skipping anything.

If the lights are not working inside or out, you have a lack of power. Could be:
   
a dead battery
Bad terminal
bad cable
corrosion on cable ends OR in the middle of the cable
Poor ground


After you check these things and have corrected anything that is bad or wrong and it still doesn't start it is time for a volt/amp tester.

Read voltage at battery                You should have minimum 12.5 volts Any less and it needs to be charged
                                                 or it is  not good.       
                                     
Read voltage at the starter relay.  It should read the same as at the battery.

If all this checks out good you need to check your bulkhead connector. The hot charge wire that runs to the AMP. gauge will more than likely be the problem. It powers EVERYTHING inside the car and mostly everything out. The wire and the connector are too small and lightweight. There have been many posts on this here and web sites that teach the repair. I don't have it handy or I would post the link..

Let us know what you find..

I was tightening a positive cable on an old Mercury many years ago.  The wrench touched the corner of the fender and blew up in my face like an atom bomb.  I lost my hearing and thought I lost my face..  I went running up to the house screaming and all I could think was I had no face left.  I'm happy to report I'm still as ugly as before it blew up.  But I will never ever ever forget that day.

[1969chargerrtse]

I think maybe he meant starter relay...

  O

[Steve P.]

This is the reason they allllllways tell you to dis-connet the neg. cable FIRST when working on your car. ALSO ALLLLLLLWAYS put the NEG, cable ON LAST.............   

[mikepmcs]

quick story.  took my 69 RR back in 87 from memphis to iowa on weekend r&r from Navy "A" school.  Car ran great all the way there.  Parked it in my buddy's garage and would not start again, i mean nothing.  turned out to be corrosion on the - side of the batt.  cleaned it, reseated it, and off I went.

Keep it simple first please.

v/r
Mike