Car 100% electrically dead. HELP!!

[93jdmlaser]

When I say 100% I mean everything. The cabin lights, dash, headlights, radio. All is dead. When I take the + cable to the battery and touch it to the + terminal on the battery there is no spark ever no matter how many times it. It does spark if I touch it with something accross the terminal and the battery tested ok. Even if it was low the lights should come on.
We tack welded my exhaust in place the other day on the car so this is where i think the problem was caused from because it was dead after that. The battery was disconnected but the b+ from the alternator to starter wasn't. From searching I read the problem could be from this being connected and the starter relay being fried. I got another relay and tested it to make sure it was good and put it in. Still nothing. I tested the battery and it was 12.5 volts and the fuses on the battery were getting power. The fuses inside the car were ok too. I have no idea what else to check I read the ecu can go bad but that wouldnt explain the cabin lights and everything being off. Any ideas on what to check or do would be great. Thanks for the help.

 

[justin0469]

try a new distributor?

 

[slvrstingray]

did you check your main fuse? There is a set of fuses in the engine compartment located under that black reference cover. Check to see if anyh of those are blown.

 

[92awddsm]

did you check your main fuse? There is a set of fuses in the engine compartment located under that black reference cover. Check to see if anyh of those are blown.

Specifically the 80amp alt fuse.

 

[92awddsm]

try a new distributor?

Does your car have a distributor? No. Then why the hell would you suggest it on another 4g63? 1g does have a cas but it has nothing to do with lack of electical power in the car.

 

[93jdmlaser]

I check all the fuses in the box in the engine bay and they were ok. I will doublw check the 80 amp but it looked like it was fine. Is there anything else it could be. Its got to be something not to far down the line from the battery to kill everything. Thanks

 

[RedRain]

Make sure your negative cable isnt corroded and is actually hooked up to the body right after the battery.

 

[93jdmlaser]

Yea the ground is fine, I used a multimeter to check continuity from the neg. terminal to another point on the body and it was good. This one got me stumped I have no idea whats wrong.

 

[93jdmlaser]

I just put a new battery in and still nothing. I tested where the starter relay plugs in and now power to any of the 4 slots with the battery in so does this mean the problem is even before the starter relay. Im not sure where to look next

 

[luv2rallye]

You did remember to connect the power wires from the fusebox to the + battery terminal right? If all you did was connect the huge + starter cable, it will not spark since there is no circuit there until the starter is activated (also no voltage would appear anywhere else).

You may have blown a fuse or caused a break in a wire from a welding electrical spike. Check the 80A fuse again with the ohmmeter setting to make sure it's ok (it can look ok but not be). Remove it and check for continuity, corrosion and good contact. Then check the 40A fusable link the same way (this goes to dome/dash lights, etc). You also should have +12V on each side of both. Then check all other fuses and fusable links in engine and interior fuseboxes (see Fuse testing without removal: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=179914 ).

Remove each battery cable at both ends and clean them and where they attach to with sandpaper. Same with grounds to body and engine (make sure they're both connected to battery negative - it really sounds more like a body ground wire/strap to battery negative is missing or broken).

Then check voltage at the far end of the positive battery cables with voltmeter negative lead on the body (so both + and - battery cables will get tested) and wiggle both + and - battery cables (especially near the terminals and connections). You can also connect a jumper cable from one end of these big cables to the other (ie. parallel across it) to see if the voltage changes if you suspect they are broken or not making good contact.

Lastly remove engine fusebox and check underneath (where the wire nest is) for wires that are loose, corroded, broken, etc.

If still can't find it, start checking voltages from the battery on outwards until there isn't any voltage where there should be. If a wire doesn't have voltage at both ends, try wiggling it or connecting another wire in parallel across it. If can't get at the end of a wire, try sticking a safety pin thru the insulation and connect to it.

 

[93jdmlaser]

I have narrowed it down. There is power coming out of the starter soleniod but it is not making it to the starter relay. Where could it break in between. I would like to find the failed spot but is it also safe to splice a wire in at the soleniod and the splice it in where it goes at the relay. I would prefer to fix it the right way buy finding the problem but it is the other splicing way safe. Thanks

 

[luv2rallye]

I think you said it wrong. Power comes FROM the starter relay (black/red on pin 3) TO the starter solenoid (black/yellow on pin 1). (Perhaps you were measuring the large black/red cable on the starter solenoid which connects to the battery)? So if no power on relay there can't be power at starter solenoid.

Are you getting power both to starter relay black/yellow on pin 4 and black/red on pin 3 when key to "start"? If not on black/yellow, the ignition start switch is not working. If not on black/red, either the relay is bad, or not pushing clutch down, or the clutch safety switch is not working (or not adjusted properly - can disconnect it if want so don't have to push clutch). Note that the starter relay has normally closed contacts between pins 3 & 4.

If you are getting power to these but not to starter solenoid black/yellow on pin 1, then yes that wire is broken or disconnected. Yes you can safely splice a wire there. But note that the diagrams also show another 4 pin square connector plug (with black/yellow wires on pins 2 & 4) between the relay and starter solenoid which may be your problem. There also is a 6 pin connector where a black/red goes to a black/yellow on pin 2 between the relay and starter solenoid. Check these connectors if you can find them. Pm me with your email address if you want the diagram.

 

[93jdmlaser]

Hey I solved it, it was my clutch switch and after i disconnected it the car started up. Problem is I need it for my step to work again so how do I fix what is wrong with it?