In real need of electrical help!!!

[Quick Red Head]

Ok, to start off, I made a pretty big mistake. I don't have any power to anything in my car right now, and I can't figure out why. Here is the back story... I was loosening the bolt on the alternator that is the swivel arm for the alternator. I forgot to disconnect the negative battery cable before I did. So while I was loosening the bolt, I dropped my wrench and it was still connected to the nut, spun down and landed on the positive terminal for the alternator. There was a big spark, and now I have no power. I am terrible with electrical problems, so I was wondering, where do I start? What are the right steps to take to figure out my problem? I checked all of the fuses already and none appear to be bad. I checked the main circuit breaker and reset it. I got my alternator tested and it failed, so I bought a new one and installed it already. So my two main questions are, where to start? and how do I test relays to see if they are good or not?

 

[SupraMan1987]

You most likely arced the battery off and cooked it. Have you had the battery tested? I've accidentally hit both terminals before and it did no damage, but your battery could of been in worse health than mine was at the time.

 

[Moy]

I would have the battery tested for sure.

If your wrench landed on both the positive and negative terminals, well... your lucky the battery didn't explode. That would have sucked really really bad

 

[jetjock]

Either the alt or main fusible link is blown. Most likely the alt. Best to measure them. When working with electricity you can't always go by appearance because it's typically invisible...though I've felt it's presence on a number of occasions

 

[lewis15498]

You need a new flux capacitor thats all.

no, that usually kills the alternator, and like jetjock said you likely blew either the main or alt fusable link, replace that before a battery cuz its cheaper, but you may have damaged the battery too.

 

[Quick Red Head]

Either the alt or main fusible link is blown. Most likely the alt. Best to measure them. When working with electricity you can't always go by appearance because it's typically invisible...though I've felt it's presence on a number of occasions

Where exactly are both of those fusible links? I know of the black one in the main fuse box under the hood, which fusible link is that? And I didn't arc the battery directly, I arced the terminal on the alternator to ground.

 

[hvyman]

same thing when you ground power with no load you'll blow the fuse and if there is no fuse you'll fry the wiring. check in the fuses under the hood.

 

[mkIIIman089]

Where exactly are both of those fusible links? I know of the black one in the main fuse box under the hood, which fusible link is that? And I didn't arc the battery directly, I arced the terminal on the alternator to ground.

Probably likely you blew the 100A Alt fusible link. It's in the fuse box in the engine bay - bolted in.

 

[Asterix]

Shorting a big lead acid battery briefly won't hurt the battery. They're pretty tough. Shorting it long enough to discharge it completely may hurt it.

I wouldn't worry about the battery. Something else let go, probably because it was supposed to, thus saving your wiring. Fuses protect the wiring.

Asterix

 

[Hmong_1G]

Trace your alternator wirings too. The wire might look good on the outside, but internally it could be toasted (literally :aigo. I say fusable links first.

 

[Quick Red Head]

The fusible link in the fuse box under the hood is fine, no sign of being burned or anything. Does anyone know how to test the main power relay and other relays to see if they are working properly?

 

[jetjock]

Look here:

http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Library/TEWD/MK3/manual.aspx?S=Main&P=18


Pull out the headlight relay and jumper pins 4 and 5 together with a paper clip. Turn on the headlight switch. They won't come up but do they come on?

Do you have a meter?

 

[Quick Red Head]

Look here:

http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Library/TEWD/MK3/manual.aspx?S=Main&P=18


Pull out the headlight relay and jumper pins 4 and 5 together with a paper clip. Turn on the headlight switch. They won't come up but do they come on?

Do you have a meter?

I have that website bookmarked, I just have no idea about anything electrical, so me reading it doesn't help much, lol. But, yes I do have a meter, my headlights are already up because they were when I was working on it, and can I use a piece of wire instead of the paperclip?

 

[HommerSimpson]

Im sure it has pictures to.. so you should look... You will need to UNBOLT the fuse box.. the one by the alt... you will see some wires that if memory serves me right.. look brown or black.. like they have been heat shrinked... those are the fusable links... but you gota unbolt the fuse box to see them...

 

[Quick Red Head]

Well, I know of the fusible link in the main fuse box that bolts in, I have had to replace that before. When I bought the car, it was bare wire that was barely touching together it was so short. On electrical wiring diagrams, it shows another fusable link before that one, and I was wondering what that one looked like b/c I can't seem to find it.

 

[Quick Red Head]

Ok, so the headlights didn't turn on...

 

[jetjock]

The the main FL is bad or the battery connections are bad. That's assuming the battery is good, which it ought to be. Easy enough to check...

 

[Quick Red Head]

The the main FL is bad or the battery connections are bad. That's assuming the battery is good, which it ought to be. Easy enough to check...

For the main FL, is that the ALT one in the main fuse box under the hood?

 

[Quick Red Head]

Found the fusible link, it was bad, and fixed it. Runs good now. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[madsupra88]

can u take a picture of the fusible links. i only see on in the fuse box i cant find the other one
thanks