Stong battery, NO headlights, NO start???

T

TMB2

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Full disclosure - auto electric is not something I'm very good at!

1968 Chrysler 300 w/440 and 37,000 original miles.

Drove the car a couple weeks ago to a car show. Came back in the dark and noticed the headlights were dim and getting dimmer as we got close to home.

Car got us home but there was zero battery to start it in the morning. Put a 2 amp trickle charge on it for 24+ hours and had it tested at AutoZone. Voltage was 12.68 and CCA was 756 (on a 750 CCA battery). Put the battery back in the car. No start. Not even the typical clicking noise at the starter. Nothing. No headlights or brake lights either. Car is stone, cold dead.

Both ground straps at the engine are still connected. The original one at the firewall has never been removed. I did replace the starter solenoid relay switch located on the inner left fender directly behind the battery but still nothing. I can crank the starter by crossing the relay switch with a screwdriver but the car still won’t start.

Any help would be appreciated and thanks in advance!
 
Check the condition of the battery cables. Look for corrosion. Check the connections at the starter as well and check and clean the bulkhead connectors. Now doing this and checking the fusible link should fix the no start problem.

After you get the car to start and run then you need to determine why the battery was not being charged. You will need to check the voltage at the battery with the car running and work your way back to the voltage regulator and alternator. I sell the solid state voltage regulators for $20 shipped in the US if the voltage regulator is the problem. You can get them from me direct or on eBay, seller name furygt.
 
Usually some where around the starter relay or bulkhead connector at the firewall it should be a smallish wire guage will a rubber tag on it that says fusable link.
It is designed to heat up and break (open) before damage is done to the rest of the wiring harness. If yours is melted you have a problem elsewhere that caused overheating of it. With the age of these cars some members here have hard problems with them without melting.
 
Follow the smaller positive wire from the battery up to the starter relay.

As Dave says, they can be bad without completely burning through, but they've burnt to the point that there is too much resistance in the wire.
 
Ok, the fusible link is located back by the bulkhead connector. This picture is from my 68 NYer. The arrow in the picture points to the fusible link.
fusible link.jpg


I grabbed this picture from ebay real quick.

upload_2017-9-9_12-56-48.jpeg



I would also suggest taking the bulkhead connector apart to inspect it for corrosion and/or heat damage. I was fortunate in that mine was in very good condition. It looks a little slimy because I put De-Oxit corrosion inhibitor and contact cleaner on it.
 
Thanks to all you guys! Will check the F link and appreciate the other suggestions.
I'll let you know what I find -
 
I was waiting for you to chime in on this one John! This problem sound all too familiar doesn't it:poke:
Hope it works out for as well as it did for you!
 
OK Guys. Here's what I have.

Using a 12v test light w/probe (see attached pics) I had a light at each point marked by a red square. Fusible link looks fine plus there's power on both sides of the link.

Horn works but NO headlights or brake lights. NO wipers (with the ignition on) plus NO test light at either coil terminal (with the ignition on).

One other clue. There is NO obligatory sparking at the positive terminal when I connect the battery.

Still need your help with this.
Chrysler NO start 1.png
Chrysler NO start 2.png
 
Check the back of your ammeter gauge for power on both sides. I have seen the gauge open inside and you have no power to the rest of the car.
 
Thanks traintech55 and 78brougham. I understand you need to remove the dash (ugh) to get to amp gauge. Is this the case?

Also, check for power to both sides of the gauge??? Does this mean I can bypass the gauge by connecting the two leads? Just trying to get the car back to storage at this point.
 
TMB2 said:
Thanks traintech55 and 78brougham. I understand you need to remove the dash (ugh) to get to amp gauge. Is this the case?

Also, check for power to both sides of the gauge??? Does this mean I can bypass the gauge by connecting the two leads? Just trying to get the car back to storage at this point.
Click to expand...
On some vehicles you can get to the wires to check without removing the cluster, just drop the upper part of the steering column. Yes you can remove the out lead from the ammeter and connect it to the other side to move it in an emergency, but don't leave it like that for long. I am in the process of having my gauge rebuilt, so if I find a good place I will share it with you guys.
 
You can try a stiff wire like house wire stuck in bulkhead connector on the two big wires will jumper the bulkhead coonector and the amp guage. Have pliers ready to pull it back out if something is wrong it will get hot.
May be enough to get you running and will tell you your problem is with guage and or bulkhead connector.
 
My advice....
1. Quit poking holes in the wires. The back of the connector is easier to get at. Just stick the probe in there.
2. There's no FSM available online, but I'm sure you can find one on Ebay. Get a CD like this: 1968 Chrysler Shop Manual CD 68 Imperial 300 New Yorker Newport Repair Service | eBay
3. Since you can't get a FSM download, here's the next best. Get a wiring diagram from here: MyMopar - Mopar Forums & Information - Mopar Wiring Diagrams 1966 to 1971
4. The fusible link can still be fried and show power coming through it. The resistance might be too high for any amount of current to flow through. Unclip it and check the resistance from one end to the other with a mulitmeter. There should be minimal resistance. Don't poke any more holes in it. The wire inside isn't as robust as the other wires and you can do more damage than good. You really haven't proven that it is OK but checking it with a test light.
5. If you don't have a multimeter (DMM), go to your nearest Harbor Fright store and buy one. Not the give away $3 one... Spend $20.
6. Learn how to use said DMM.
There's all sorts of videos on youtube about how to do this. Here's one.


7. Check under the dash with your newly acquired DMM and DMM skillz and see if there is power to any of the fuses. OK, you can use a test light, but you may need to get used to using the DMM and here's a good chance. If there is, turn on your headlights and check for power at that same point. This may tell you if you have some sort of high resistance problem that is limiting the current.
8. As said above, check the bulkhead connector for corrosion etc. Disconnect and look at it. Easy to do.
9. As said above, reach under the dash and make sure the ammeter wires are tight. Easy to do.
10. Replace the battery cable(s). The temporary battery terminal you have on there now can be troublesome. The insulation looks old, so it's due. Since you can jump the starter relay and get the engine to crank, I doubt if it's got anything to do with the problem, but I still see it as a trouble spot.

These are just places to start looking. Print out your wiring diagram and highlight the path from the battery to the ignition. With electrical, it's best to start at the easy things and then get more involved.
 
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