Need Real-time Help. Car won't start.

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battmrown
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My tercel:: '84 SR5. Lifted.

Need Real-time Help. Car won't start.

Post by battmrown »

First post here, so hi everyone. My name is Matt. 84 SR5 Wagon. I was changing the oil today and the filter was stuck like hell. I grabbed my filter wrench and while undoing it, touched the alternator at the connection I'm pointing at in the attached photo. There was a small spark and now the car won't start. It doesn't even buzz when I put the key in. No flow of electricity whatsoever. I'm hoping I haven't fried it completely but electrical Gremlins are not my strong suit. Battery is fine. Grounds seem well-connected. Any advice would be much appreciated.
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battmrown
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Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2018 6:45 pm
My tercel:: '84 SR5. Lifted.

Re: Need Real-time Help. Car won't start.

Post by battmrown »

Having trouble attaching the photo on mobile. It's the right side connection if you're looking at the alternator from the front. Battery side.
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BaileySims
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My tercel:: 1983 Tercel SR5 4WD
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Re: Need Real-time Help. Car won't start.

Post by BaileySims »

From the fuse box under the hood goes a single wire to the positive on the battery. That might have been disconnected, or one of the fuses could have blown?
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battmrown
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Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2018 6:45 pm
My tercel:: '84 SR5. Lifted.

Re: Need Real-time Help. Car won't start.

Post by battmrown »

BaileySims wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2019 10:41 am From the fuse box under the hood goes a single wire to the positive on the battery. That might have been disconnected, or one of the fuses could have blown?
YEAH! Just looked at the fuses and the big 60A one is blown. Gonna swap it out and hope that takes care of it. Thanks for the quick reply!
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battmrown
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Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2018 6:45 pm
My tercel:: '84 SR5. Lifted.

Re: Need Real-time Help. Car won't start.

Post by battmrown »

Shut 'er down, boys. Problem solved. Probably should have just consulted Google instead of clogging up the board. Thanks for your help, @BaileySims.
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
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Re: Need Real-time Help. Car won't start.

Post by Petros »

welcome to the forum, looks like you found the problem.

that big 60a fuse is a system main fuse designed to blow to protect the rest of the electrical. I had that happen once when my old brittle wire harness grounded out and left me stranded. I wrapped the melted wires with electrical tape, and a guy driving a rusty old beater chevy stopped and gave me a foil gum wrapper to put on the 60A fuse to get it to run. Power it up and it got me home.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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