No power to the entire car

[SoSideways]

So out of boredom, I decided to take the intake manifold brace off of my SR, so that in the future if I decide to take the manifolds apart (for the IACV) I can do it much easier.

The starter was in the way, so I decided to take the starter off to get to the bolt that's holding the bottom of the brace on.

For some reason, my brain wasn't functioning as it should, and farted, and I took a non-ratcheting wrench to undo the 12mm nut that holds the power wire to the starter solenoid to undo it.

And it slipped.

The wrench either touched the block (got a little burnt mark on the metal on the open end side) or the negative pole on the solenoid, and I got sparks flying, but only for like a second, then no more sparks.

So when that happened, I got out from underneath the car to unhook the positive terminal on the battery.

Long story short, I get done doing whatever else with the car, and put everything back together, and now I have no power to the entire car.

As in, I open the door, there's no dome light, even if I manually turn it on. Headlights don't work, taillights don't work, there's not even the key chime. The clock in the gauge cluster doesn't work, and obviously, nothing works as there's no power.

I recalled that a couple of cars that I've witnessed having no power was due to the 75A fusible link blowing in the engine bay relay/fuse box on the passenger side. So I went to check it.

It was fine, not blown.

And the thing is, a friend of mine came out and let me borrow his 75A fusible link, thinking that's what my problem was, and when he got out here, we figured out that it wasn't, and he started pulling fuses out on my car to check them, and some how, some way, the clock on the gauge cluster came on.

However, the clock only comes on when the doors are closed, with out anything else on. Like, if I were to turn the headlight switches on, the clock would go out. If I open the door, turn the interior lights on, turn the key to the accessories and on positions, anything, and the clock would go away, and come back as soon as I turned everything off.

So I'm wondering, does it seem like I fried the starter solenoid circuit, thus breaking the entire battery/alternator circuit altogether, and so no power to the entire car?

Oh, and 1 last thing. I checked the battery just to make sure that's not the problem, and I got 12.38v from the battery, so it's fine.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

[Markovich]

do a omh drop or volt drop i forget the name of it and you pretty much touch the negative or postive for you omh meter to the battery and touch the other plug to the terminal make sure it isnt a lot. then have some one turn the key and make sure that its only pulling i think its 9.5 - 10 v i forget its someething like that if some one knows can you explain it better hope you firgure it ou and next time unplug your battery...

my 10 cents

peace
~sr20 powered

[zero.counter]

Take a little stroll through the fuse box near the battery, main. You might find something interesting there.

[SoSideways]

The fuse box near the battery would be the one where the main relays and main fuses are, correct?

I have checked there, everything was fine.

This is on an S13 btw, a 91.

Someone on Fresh Alloy suggested that I could have shorted out the battery, and that while it will still have the correct voltages, it would have no current, and thus no juice.

The fact that the clock came back on, and if anything else was turned on, or the doors were opened and what not, that the clock would go away again, is a good indication that I have very little current flow from the battery.

Tomorrow I will try to hunt down a known good battery to see if I get any juice again.

[SoSideways]

Battery checked out being good, and I just looked at all my fuses, all of them are A-OK. All the fusible links are A-OK.

Tested for continuity for the wires, and they tested out A-OK too.

So yeah... am pretty baffled...

Think the Starter might have something to do with this?

[tre]

electrical is such a bitch to deal with. So NOTHING absolutley NOTHING work electronically in the car? I know grounding out your car like that can pop relays aswell. I'd also check your fuse box by your left foot driver side.

[Phaze*2_Mizzark]

Originally Posted by SoSideways

So out of boredom, I decided to take the intake manifold brace off of my SR, so that in the future if I decide to take the manifolds apart (for the IACV) I can do it much easier.

The starter was in the way, so I decided to take the starter off to get to the bolt that's holding the bottom of the brace on.

For some reason, my brain wasn't functioning as it should, and farted, and I took a non-ratcheting wrench to undo the 12mm nut that holds the power wire to the starter solenoid to undo it.

And it slipped.

The wrench either touched the block (got a little burnt mark on the metal on the open end side) or the negative pole on the solenoid, and I got sparks flying, but only for like a second, then no more sparks.

So when that happened, I got out from underneath the car to unhook the positive terminal on the battery.

Long story short, I get done doing whatever else with the car, and put everything back together, and now I have no power to the entire car.

As in, I open the door, there's no dome light, even if I manually turn it on. Headlights don't work, taillights don't work, there's not even the key chime. The clock in the gauge cluster doesn't work, and obviously, nothing works as there's no power.

I recalled that a couple of cars that I've witnessed having no power was due to the 75A fusible link blowing in the engine bay relay/fuse box on the passenger side. So I went to check it.

It was fine, not blown.

ok, bumping this old ass thread rather than making a new one because this one best explains my current issue. Only difference is i let a friend touch the car and he let a wire jump from the starter to a ground and now nothing is working at all. This is in my 91 240sx LE w/ s13 sr red top. I did already check the ecu in another friends car and the ecu is fine. checked the fuses and relays in the fuse box next to where the battery use to be located at, and those were all A OK. can anybody please help me??

[TTrx7Pete]

Look at your fuses inside the car, most people over look these. Most of the time there is a 12V fuse that blows. Check your ECU fuse as well. These should be at the driver's kickpanel.

[SoSideways]

My problem turned out to be a fried ground cable: the ground cable that goes from the chassis to the battery's neg terminal, and also to the intake manifold.

I replaced it and the car gets power now.

The car went down in May, when these posts were made, then finally took it to someone in September and we all figured out what was up when we tried to start the car in the dark parking lot. That's when we noticed sparks coming from the ground wire by the battery's neg terminal. That's what gave us the clue that the ground cable was fried.

[Phaze*2_Mizzark]

thanks for your help my friends. i put a test light to the positive cable right where my battery is at which is relocated to the back, to insure it was giving power to the cable at that point of the car. then while testing the power cable in the engine bay, it was not giving any power. so i narrowed it down to the fact that the positive cable is now fried and i gotta get a new one... all of my electrical now works again, yet the car is still not starting. i'm sure it has something to do with the starter because all i'm hearing is the relay click, even on a strong battery. anybody??? its an 91 s13 with red top SR.... any of your input would be greatly appreciated! gosh darnit! i just wanna drive my s13!!!

[TTrx7Pete]

Make sure you have a strong ground on the battery and starter.

[racepar1]

Make sure you do not overlook the 75 amp main fuse in the underhood fuse box. Shorting out the main power wire very likely blew it. With that fuse blown the entire car has no power.