Real time help! Please

[livelarg]

I just put in my new radiator tonight, now I have NO POWER to he truck!


This tis the story. 91' cruiser. Car ran fine, but the radiator broke, this was bout 6 weeks ago. I had a new baby in this time, and have had no time to work on the truck. So the truck just sat the whole time. I need the truck now to go back t9o work, so I took it apart and put in a new radiator.
To replace the radiator, I took out the battery and tray. I DID NOT test out the truck before I did this. Now I put it all back together, I have no power at all in the truck, not even a dim light. I tied jumping it nothing, I even bought a new battery.... nothing!
I took a electrical tester and tested all of the wires. The ground and the lines seem ok, and I don't see any wires I forgot to connect to the battery.
Is there a master fuse that might have blown? Any other ideas I haven't thought of?


PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!

 

[KliersLC]

Fusible link maybe.. Dunno where it is on the 91 tho. Help is sure to be forthcoming.

you did hook up the ground, right??

 

[cruiser88]

funny s*** happends on cruisers check that pesky ground again.also take it off the frame or block whichever wirebrush and clean all connecters.im sure its something easy.i will et the 80 exsperts till you were the inline fuses are.and oh yea get a manual and read it like the bible

 

[Romer]

Possibly a loose connector or one that is not attached.

Do you have a meter, if so measure the following:

Verify the neg of the battery is tied to ground (Ohm Check)

Verify 12V across the battery terminals.

Verify 12V at the alternator

Verify 12V at the fuse box. May have to slip a fuse out to slip paperclip or something else to measure. If no 12V Find were there is no 12V and isolate back to 12V source.

If there is 12V, check 12V at starter and post back here

 

[Rich]

Probably blew a fusible link. Look for a short section of wire that connects to the positive battery terminal and ends with a plastic connector. Fusible links are undersized wires (compared to the rest of the circuit) with special, high temp insulation. Works like a fuse, short the circuit, the wire melts, before the rest of the harness that it protects. It is possible that the wire melted without burning the insulation. So find, the link (there very well may be several, on my 97 there are 3 bundled together) and, if not obviously burnt, gently bend with fingers to feel if enclosed wire has melted.

 

[AATLAS1X]

Fusible link maybe.. Dunno where it is on the 91 tho. Help is sure to be forthcoming.

you did hook up the ground, right??

X2, it is off the positive side terminal and has a female plug.

 

[livelarg]

WOOOHOOOOO
I have a running truck. None of your ideas were right, but I couldn't have done it without you.
I forgot to mention that a buddy helped me get the radiator out. Turns out he tucked some of the wires behind the power streering pump to get them out of the way. I found them, connected them and it started right up.
the reason you guys helped me is because when I went out to check the fusible links as you guys mentioned, I realied that I didn't have any hooked up. So I started looking for them, and thats when I found the other wires.
So once again, you guys have saved me.
THANKS!

Kent

P.S.
I sure hope I can return that battery I just bought!

 

[CJF]

None of your ideas were right...

...the reason you guys helped me is because when I went out to check the fusible links as you guys mentioned, I realied that I didn't have any hooked up.

Whaddaya mean none of their ideas were right?? I'd say they nailed it.

Glad it's fixed,

Curtis

 

[Beowulf]

Whaddaya mean none of their ideas were right?? I'd say they nailed it.

Glad it's fixed,

Curtis

Yes Curtis, all 5 of the replies were dead center on the bullseye. I'm not sure how he can say none of their ideas were right. In fact Romer says "Possibly a loose connector or one that is not attached."

I guess he was waiting for someone to say "look behind the PS pump where you'll find some hidden wires that should be connected to the +12v side of the battery."



-B-

 

[-Spike-]

Man, you guys are touchy. He did thank you and attributed the fix to your suggestions, give hime a break!

-Spike

 

[Rookie2]

Man, you guys are touchy.

-Spike

You can't just let him slide that in unchecked .

The guy's got a birds nest of wires that he didn't hook up, and comes back with a "none of your ideas were right" comment... gee ya think??

 

[Romer]

You can't just let him slide that in unchecked .

The guy's got a birds nest of wires that he didn't hook up, and comes back with a "none of your ideas were right" comment... gee ya think??

I am happy he came back with the answer. Too many times we don't know what happened

 

[livelarg]

Yes Curtis, all 5 of the replies were dead center on the bullseye. I'm not sure how he can say none of their ideas were right. In fact Romer says "Possibly a loose connector or one that is not attached."

I guess he was waiting for someone to say "look behind the PS pump where you'll find some hidden wires that should be connected to the +12v side of the battery."



-B-

WOW, I opened a hornets nest.
I was actually joking around with the "none of you guys were right" comment. I was pointing out that I pulled a dumbass and didn't connect some obvious cables.
All of your answers were very right answers. My apologies to Romer for not saying his comment was right.

Thanks again to all of you that make this a great site.
Kent

 

[Romer]

No problem Kent. Glad you were able to get it working. We all pull "dumb asses" Thats why some of us are able to help others

 

[cruiser88]

WOW, I opened a hornets nest.
I was actually joking around with the "none of you guys were right" comment. I was pointing out that I pulled a dumbass and didn't connect some obvious cables.
All of your answers were very right answers. My apologies to Romer for not saying his comment was right.

Thanks again to all of you that make this a great site.
Kent

dont worry about it your ok.some people are just bored

 

[LandCrusher'70]

"look behind the PS pump where you'll find some hidden wires that should be connected to the +12v side of the battery."



-B-

Man I wish all tech questions could be answered like that!

 

[livelarg]

After all of this, I drove my truck to work this morning, and it still overheated. So I am putting in a new thermostat today. I thought my leaky radiator caused the overheating, but maybe the thermostat caused it to overheat and pushed my radiator over the edge.
At least I hope thats it, if it isn't the thermostat, I think that leaves the water pump as the possible problem.
And on to the fun!
Kent

 

[-Spike-]

IMHO the t-stat should be packaged with the radiator, along with new hoses. Or at least offered.

-Spike

 

[Romer]

IMHO the t-stat should be packaged with the radiator, along with new hoses. Or at least offered.

-Spike

They don't come that way. IMHO a 6 pack of beer should be included with every Pizza

 

[concretejungle]

livelarge, guys are just kidding with you.

On subject, glad you got your no-power issue resolved. Don't think that replacing a leaking radiator was in vain, as it was not. Now just slap a new thermostat in there and you "should" be good to go.

Also, don't mix coolant. If you had red in there, put red back in. If it was green, then flush the hell out of it and put green back in.