I killed my 64 Dart GT Convertible.

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cdbldr

cdbldr

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Hey guys--

Newbie here-just bought my car last month and decided to work on it today--taillight was out, simple problem, just needed to put a new fuse in. EXCEPT, like a fool I left the key in the "ON" position and when I pulled out the old fuse there was a spark. And, then I had ZERO electrical power--no lights, no starting, nothing. Dead. So I read some stuff here on the forums, and replaced the resistor and the relay, both of which are mounted on the firewall. Now I have headlights but still no turn/tail lights, and more importantly, no power to the starter.

So obviously I've shorted something someplace. Any ideas? It's going to be 7d degrees here tomorrow and I want to get out and drive!

Thanks for any help--
 
Fusible link

Should be on the firewall connected to the starter silinoid
 
I thought I got the fusible link--is it the long narrow rectangular thing, feels like it's made out of ceramic, and it has a tab on each end for a wire to plug into? Guy at the parts store said it was an "ignition resistor". Replaced it. If that's not the fusible link, can you describe how to find it better?
 
Fusible link looks like a normal wire but will act like a fuse if over amped.
 
If you look close to the starter relay it should be hook to it . It will look like a regular wire but will have a tab hooked to it that says fusible link
 
The fusible link on an early A is up by the bulkhead connector. I'd have to double check - IIRC it's a separate blue wire that's got a tag on it that says "FUSIBLE LINK" that's connected to the one of the lugs on the bulkhead connector and the starter relay.
 
Thank you all for the quick replies--this is awesome!

I have nothing with that handy "fusible link" tag. Here's a pic of my wiring. If I'm thinking of the right thing, a fusible link should be just a single wire, right? I've got a bundle of two wires that go from my relay down to the starter. Is one of these the link?
 

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there's a set of two wires wrapped in tape, and they go from the relay down to the starter. the other little wire wrapped in tape goes from the relay into this big cluster of wires plugged into that block of wires on the right side.
 
64DartB.jpg
 
And maybe soe one else will no why is there two wires going down to the starter my thanking is that its hook in with the hot side off the battery to give juice to the inside of the car and hot to the starter relay correct me I'm wrong so if its not the taped up wire the it has to be in the bulk head plug or the stearing wheel connection if not there then the ignition switch it self but my thanking could be wrong was just trying to give some ideals I still don't under Stand why the wire is missing from the starter relay switch unless its grounded out some how because from wiring diagram the wire from the neutral safety switch should hook there
 
Correction, I dont see any fusible link...not on a 64? do you have a neutral switch installed, or is that bare lug on the starter relay supposed to go to your ignition switch? (yellow wire)

64DartA.jpg
 
That is the new relay I installed today--it has one extra post that my old one didn't. Otherwise it's exactly the same.

That wiring diagram looks pretty accurate to my car: those two wires wrapped in tape are brown and red, going from the relay to the starter just like the diagram. Does that mean I don't have a fusible link? I don't have the yellow wire going from the relay because my relay doesnt have that post.

So, I have headlights, dashboard lites, heater and horn working. No taillights, turn signals, brake lights, or starter. I can't even drive it to the shop! Help me, wise ones!
 
That starter relay won't actuate unless the NSS terminal is grounded, preferably thru the NSS at the transmission. However, I understand that some manual shift cars had a neutral switch wired differently, though the wiring diagram doesn't show that. Is your's manual? If so, insure it is in Park, ground the NSS terminal and see if the starter turns. Don't stand if front of the car in case it is not in neutral.

Re the two wires to the starter. The big red one is +12 V power and is always hot. The brown wire is what the starter relay puts +12 V on and goes to the starter solenoid. That is the part that makes the big "klunk" when the contacts engage. You can get a remote starter switch to actuate the starter under the hood. You connect it between +12 V and the terminal where the yellow wire goes. If that doesn't work, connect it to the brown wire, but be careful because that bypasses the NSS safety feature, so the car might jump forward when the starter turns.

I don't know how you lost the rear lights and turn signals. Check the fuses. Don't just look at them, test for <10 ohms w/ a multi-meter.
 
Something I should make more clear: Everything was fine until I created a spark at the fuse block, at which point everything went dead. So it can't be that some connection is loose or some wire not connected, right? It's got to be that I fried something. Doesn't look like I'll be enjoying the sun tomorrow--I'll be stuck in the garage trying to figure it out. Damn.
 
If by ammeter you mean the voltage gauge on the dash, yes I do have voltage. But it's like the starter isn't getting any power at all. I'm going out to work on it now, I'll update ya'll. And thanks so much for the advice--I really hate electrical mysteries.
 
Ok, so I went out to change all the fuses--there's only about 6--and now I have ZERO power to anything. At the very least I know there's a problem with the fuses. I'd say that's progress except that as of two days ok I had a perfectly good car with one tail light out and now I got a dead car. By the time this is done I'll just have a pile of parts in the garage that I'll pay some one to haul away :(
 
well you have power at the ammeter in the dash, but no power at the fuse block.

So suspect the problem is between the 2.

Happy hunting.
 
I would start at the starter relay on the firewall. Does the neutral safety switch have continuity to ground when in park/neutral?

When the key is in the start position, the yellow wire should go hot. If it doesn't then work backwards from there.

Is the ignition switch getting voltage?

Voltage gets to the ignition switch via the welded connection inside the harness. I've read that this connection can be a failure point. If the ammeter has voltage and the ignition switch does not, I would investigate that connection.
 
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