NO START :'( Help a girl out?

[780K20]

Often my truck has been going dead if I let it sit a few days, so I usually hook it up to a battery charger for a bit and away we go no problem. I suspect a short somewhere though... So today I want to take it for a drive and I go to boost it with my Duramax and there was a loud POP and smoke behind the master cylinder area on the fire wall where a bundle of wires are. What the heck...I've boosted vehicles lots, I don't think I mixed anything up...I changed the glass fuse, try and boost it again...still nothing.

My battery is good and holds a charge, my headlights do come on, but my dash or ignition does not. No ding, no click, no lights, no radio or heater, won't even think about turning over. I looked at my fuse panel under the dash on the left, found some funny connectors and pink wires to a spot labeled ignition. I really don't know what to do next. I was doing some reading about the ignition switch but I really don't know what the next step would be.

[VileZambonie]

You burned a fusible link.

[VileZambonie]

Look at the junction block on the firewall for a wire and connector with a splice. Give it a gentle tug, it ill probably be melted. Make sure that you don't have another issue or replacing it won't solve the problem but let's just assume this is due to you jump starting it incorrectly.

http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=11972.msg45217#msg45217

As far as your parasitic drain, just do a search on the forum for parasitic draw. Plenty of posts on this subject detailing how to hunt it down and isolate the problem

[LTZ C20]

There is a fusible link in the master cylinder area that is a fuse of sorts. It doesn't look like a fuse, it looks like a small black plastic barrel about an inch long that is around a thick red wire.

Usually what they do is pop and then smoke a bit just like you said when they go out.

They serve the same purpose as a fuse, just do it in a different way. You will want to look for a what I described, it may be burnt looking or crispy.

New ones if needed can be either bought or built.

[LTZ C20]

This is a fusible link.

[enaberif]

Fusible links can also just look like a normal piece of wire.  But that is the style commonly found on our trucks.

[780K20]

Awesome! Oh man thank y'all so much for the speedy replies, step by step advice and pictures! I will dig into it in the morning


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[LTZ C20]

Awesome! Oh man thank y'all so much for the speedy replies, step by step advice and pictures! I will dig into it in the morning


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Your welcome. Pictures usually help alot too if you have a question. Post up a pic with your question.

[780K20]

looky here!


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[enaberif]

Going to take some splicing and some new wire but that is a pretty easy fix.

[780K20]

So cut it off before that white fuse lookin deal, put a new eye on and bolt it back on, see what happens?


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[LTZ C20]

looky here!


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Well look at that! I believe there is an article in the Tech section on how to build a new fusible link or you can go to the auto parts store and buy one. If I remember correctly they are east to build. I've never had to build one myself tho.

[bd]

So cut it off before that white fuse lookin deal, put a new eye on and bolt it back on, see what happens?

That "white fuse lookin deal" is the original splice between the existing fusible link and wiring harness.  Sever the wire on the harness side of the 'white bulge' then splice in a new 6" long fusible wire link.  Fusible links are a special type of wire/insulation combination that are always 4 wire sizes smaller (larger gauge number) than the wires they protect.  They are not made from common primary wire. 

Protect the 12-gauge ignition switch feed in the pic using 16-gauge link per the thread, How to make a Fusible Link created and referenced by VileZambonie.

[780K20]

Great! Thanks a million everyone got it running and took it for a good drive this afternoon!


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