Car goes dead

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Lammio

Lammio

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I have a 68 Barracuda 340 auto. After sitting over night the car starts and runs normal for about 10 min then will not restart. Goes completely dead. No lights no nothing. The problem started after replacing the battery but took battery back and tested ok. I've replaced starter relay, key switch on dash, starter, all engine ignition is new. If the car cools down or sits overnight it starts right up and does it all over again. I still think my new battery is defective. Any suggestions? Thanks
 
Why did you need to replace battery? maybe the problem was there before you replaced battery, making you think battery was bad. fusable link maybe.
 
I agree with Mopar Tim. I had that problem before. The fusible link gets soft when fried, but when it cools down from sitting, the rubbery sheath contracts and allows the wire to touch again. It's only needed to get started, so once it warms up from current and expands/ separates the circuit is broken again. The car will continue to run until you shut it off. Once you do, you'll have to wait until it cools down and contracts again. My guess is near the battery. Should be a blue wire. If you pull on each end and it stretches a little, that's your culprit. I'm on my phone and don't have a way to upload a pic.

Can anyone load a pic of a fusible link for reference?
 
CLEAN the battery terminals and posts. Then learn some troubleshooting. For this kind of problem you, really, can get by with a 12V test lamp

WHAT EVERY classic car owner should have.

1 Factory shop manual. You can download a whole bunch of 'em here and at MyMopar:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?p=1970088617

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=31

2....A 12V test lamp

3...A multimeter. Sears, auto parts, hardware stores all sell em. You can buy one that works great for less than 40 bucks. Even Horrid Freight has 'em

4....Three or 4 clip leads, test leads, alligator clip leads.

Next, AFTER you have cleaned the battery terminals, "get it to" fail. Then turn on the headlights. No lights? LEAVE the switch on Get out open the hood, 12V test lamp in hand

Ground the lamp clip and probe:

A....The big battery post RIGHT ON TOP of the battery post. Power? OK

B....Move the probe to the positive battery cable clamp right next to the post. Power? OK

C....Move the probe to the "big stud" on the starter relay. Power? OK

D....Look for the fuse link, going from that same terminal into one of the bulkhead connector terminals. Wiggle it. Feel it for heat. Take your probe and stick into that terminal. Power? OK

E....Still no headlights? But power in the fuse link/ bulkhead connection? WIGGLE the bulkhead connector, look for anything out of the headlights. Anything? Yes? You have found the problem

F.....If none of the above, get your hand up under the dash and wiggle the harness in the area of the ammeter and light switch. Anything? If not, it's time to get serious, time to garage the car and "get into" it.

Post back with results

READ THE ARTICLE below. This points up common problems, and also has a basic diagram of the main power:

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

Follow along. From the battery, power ends up at the "big stud" of the starter relay. This is one contact of the relay, and also acts as a junction block.

From the stud notice "fusible link." THIS CAN FAIL. Then goes directly through the bulkhead connector. THAT CAN FAIL

Notice it then goes to the ammeter. More rare, but CAN fail. From the ammeter it turns to BLACK and goes to the WELDED SPLICE. Very rare, but this can fail. This is a few inches away from the ammeter in the black wire, under the dash. This taps off and feeds HEADLIGHT switch, accessory HOT BUSS in the fuse panel, power into the IGNITION SWITCH and a couple of other things. THIS IS NOT FUSED except for the fuse link

amp-ga18.jpg
 
Post 1, sentence 1.
A)Does it stall out by itself? Or,B) it fails to restart after a key shut-off?

If A), I think its a double whammy. The #1 splice/ig sw ,has lost power from both the alternator and the battery

If B), it might be just a battery-side issue
 
Battery was replaced as preventive. Previous battery was 6+ yrs old but gave me no problems. Car starts and stays running. Will not restart after being shut off. I have tested most of the suggested parts. Did not check fusible link. Will check it out tomorrow. Thanks for the help.
 
When my son first got his Valiant the battery looked pretty new, but we ended up replacing it with a Die Hard Gold.

Just because it's new, doesn't mean it's good...
 
Thanks Mopar Tim and Wooden Nickle. It was the fusible link. $3 part from NAPA and running great again. I always thought these were either good or blown. Good to know. Thanks again.
 
Lammio said:
Thanks Mopar Tim and Wooden Nickle. It was the fusible link. $3 part from NAPA and running great again. I always thought these were either good or blown. Good to know. Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Your welcome! MT:cheers:
 
Glad that you found it and reported back so we learn also...
 
For anyone still learning like me and who might run into this. After sitting all night in the garage the car would start and run fine. If I would shut off the car after about 10 minutes of running it would not restart nor would it crank or have any electrical power at all. No lights, nothing. Frustrated and since I prefer not to burn the flesh off my hands and arms I would wait till the car cooled down and start checking everything. The charging system was working and I would get continuity everywhere. This cycle repeated several times and admittedly I passed over the fusible link because I always assumed (you know what they say about that) these were either good or bad and not somewhere in the middle. After some good advise from FABO and a $3 part from NAPA the car is running perfectly again. Hope this helps the next guy. Thanks.
 
Thanks for reporting back. Many don't. I have to admit I've never seen a fuse link "that bad." Most, once failed "bad enough" to kill everything "don't come back." I hope you inspected and repaired your bulkhead connector as well. THAT is where the big trouble usually lies with connections.
 
67Dart273 said:
I hope you inspected and repaired your bulkhead connector as well. THAT is where the big trouble usually lies with connections.
Click to expand...

This was true with my 71 Swinger. The 'hot' wire would lose connection to the interior, and everything would be dead, would have to jiggle it to get it to reconnect. Once new bulkhead connector installed all good. Hey, I was early 20's, give me a break. LOL
 
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