83 MCSS won't start

1

1CLEAN83

Not-quite-so-new-guy

Oct 18, 2010

9

0

0

• Jan 19, 2014

• #1

Well ole faithfully left me stranded tonight... did a 1st and 2nd gear pull then I lost everything on the dash all together. Headlights and running lights stayed on but don't have brake lights, turn signals, 4 ways, heater fan, radio, or any gauges. Any help would be greatly appreciated so I can get it out of this shops parking lot tomorrow without having a to pay a tow bill.
thanx for any input

 

1

1CLEAN83

Not-quite-so-new-guy

Oct 18, 2010

9

0

0

• Jan 19, 2014

• #2

All fuses are good, power windows and lock do not work but interior lights do work.

 

L

LS1GN

G-Body Guru

Aug 7, 2011

600

8

0

Central Florida

• Jan 19, 2014

• #3

Did the lights dim? Do you have an electric fuel pump? I am assuming it will not turn over? Check battery connections.

 

T

tetomas

Greasemonkey

Nov 24, 2012

156

1

18

east central georiga

• Jan 19, 2014

• #4

Check the fusible link wires down by the starter solonoid, after your pulls the manifold may have gotten hot and burned them. The power for the interior comes from there.

 

565bbchevy

Geezer

Aug 8, 2011

9,746

13,088

113

Michigan

• Jan 19, 2014

• #5

X2 It sounds like a fusible link. You could have also just overloaded it and it finally melted ( especially if you added any electrical accessories) on top of the fact with how old these factory wiring harnesses are the wires become brittle and just break from age, heat and engine movement.

 

1

1CLEAN83

Not-quite-so-new-guy

Oct 18, 2010

9

0

0

• Jan 19, 2014

• #6

tetomas said:

Check the fusible link wires down by the starter solonoid, after your pulls the manifold may have gotten hot and burned them. The power for the interior comes from there.

Click to expand...

it was the fusible link! Thanks a lot guys I really appreciate the help, headers did a number the the links and the roughly foot long pieces of wire. I would have discovered it while yanking the engine for my lq9 swap but I'm still waiting on cam and spacer to utilize my th350

 

1

1CLEAN83

Not-quite-so-new-guy

Oct 18, 2010

9

0

0

• Jan 19, 2014

• #7

I'm replacing both of the links, what size fuses should I put in there place? I'm not sure how to find out what size they were from factory

 

pontiacgp

blank

Mar 31, 2006

29,270

20,425

113

Kitchener, Ontario

• Jan 19, 2014

• #8

you cannot replace links with fuses. Links are a slow burn which is why they use them in that location. A fuse will blow soon as they are overloaded while a fusible link will heat up but won't break unless there is a serious short or heavy extended draw. A fusible link is made with using a wire 4 gauges smaller than the wire it' protecting. You need to cover the link with insulation so if it does heat up it won't burn it's covering