Ok here is the story, I just bought this car it started fine when I picked it up from the sellers home. I took it home and installed a battery and did not see that the red wire was ground and the black was positive. The seller forgot to mention this to me so when I hooked up the battery and started the car something fried and smoked. So first thing I did was replace the starter solenoid, nothing car won't even crank. So i replaced the starter, same thing it's completely dead engine won't even turn. What do I check for, fuse, burnt wires? Help me out guys thanks.

Manny

[This message has been edited by wickdracer (edited August 17, 2005).]

[This message has been edited by wickdracer (edited August 17, 2005).]

I had just made an entry here saying that some cars have fusible links but then I realized that I've never seen one on a Chevy.
So you hooked the battery up backwards and tried to start it. Wow, never did that. Don't know what would fry first.
You should check all your fuses, you might luck out on that.
Ok, you either don't have voltage to the solenoid thru the big cable or you are not getting a turn on voltage on the small wire to it from the ingnition key.
If you have a meter or a circuit checking light check it. If not remove the small wire and run another wire via a switch to the positive battery terminal. The switch should trigger the solenoid and crank. You can leave out the switch and just touch the positive battery terminal with the wire from the small solenoid terminal. That should isolate the problem.
Darryl


[This message has been edited by flyguy (edited August 17, 2005).]

[This message has been edited by flyguy (edited August 17, 2005).]

<font face="Arial,Verdana" size="2">Originally posted by flyguy:
I had just made an entry here saying that some cars have fusible links but then I realized that I've never seen one on a Chevy.
</font>

GM's fusible links are in the "fusible link wire"
Usually, you won't be able to tell the condition by glance. A continuity test will show if it is truly good or not, but it will not tell if it is limping on it's last strand of wire. The red colored small gauge ingnition & accessory hot wires at the starter... fusible link wiring.


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Cool thanks guys I'll try this.

Manny

I found that on these old cars they have been through wiring hell. My car had all kinds of strange wiring. The 70's and 80's were great years fore drugs.

You may want to just peak under the dash and make sure you are all cool. I had one car catch on fire because of bad wiring.

Brian,
Thanks for filling me in. My engine is out so I'll take a close look at the wiring now that I know. Hadn't thought about that since I fried mine of a Datsun 510 30+ years ago (OMG.)
Darryl

tomsti, I know how you feel.

Just looked at the starter wires in my 71SS and just shook my head. Heat from headers and a poor splice is all I can say. http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif

Wickd

Is the whole system dead or just the starter? As in does the dash light up, etc.? If so it is probably not the fusible. On my '70 the fusible powers EVERYTHING other than the starter itself. If you have power everywhere else I would check the trigger wire at the starter with a test light (have a friend turn the key for you). If that works it sounds like the starter is toasted.

Hey Trainman the car powers up I see the gauges light up, but not crank. I replaced started and solenoid so I'm stuck. I'll probably have someone check it out cause I'm no wiring expert. Thanks guys.

So you reversed the conections on the battery by accident? If i'm not mistaken when you did that you fried a hell of alot of shiz....Seems like i remember hearing it fries the hole ignition system. So if thats the case get ready to rewire alot of stuff.

Seems to me I remember that it forward biases the alternator diodes which gives you almost a dead short to ground thru them. Tends to protect other stuff, but blows the fusible link. Yeah, have someone who knows their way around a multimeter check it out.
Darryl