electrical prob

[loyt06]

ok heres the story, I bought my festiva a couple months ago. I bought it for 600 bones. When i went and looked at it the first time it started up fine. I drove it around for a good 30 mins...everything all fine and dandy. but then when i brought it back and tried to start it it wouldnt roll over. the guy i bought it from looked confused and said "its never done this before" then he took a screwdriver and jumped the starter and it started right up. i kinda figured he was lying but i didnt really care for $600. so i drove it home.

I had it parked until yesterday when i drove it to school. its been starting up good but on my last drive i noticed a burning plastic sort of smell. i popped the hood and there was a wire that was wrapped in electrical tape smoking. after researching a little bit i think it is the main fusible link. i closed the hood and continued home and then the battery light turned on. then when i went to pull into a parking spot it felt like it was going to stall. i got out of the car with it still running and went to check under the hood and it just died, for first time ever.

can anyone tell me what i got myself into and what its going to take to get myself out?

[FestYboy]

PIX!!!!!! please. that'll help us pinpoint which wire took a dump and why.

[GenevaDirt]

he may have used a regular wire in place of the fusible link, reason for the electric tape. Either get a new link or use a cartridge fuse in place of it. Hopefully nothing else burnt.
Like Festy said....pics would really help.

[loyt06]

thanks for the quick response guys. i got a picture of the wire.




sorry its so ginormous
as you can see the middle wire is pretty fried

i got in it to try and start it and there is no power now. would the burnt wire cause there to be no power? i'm going to replace the wire later on today and ill let you know what happens.

[25Horseplay]

That would be why there is no power. But I would be concerned what burned the wire? Could be a short somewhere. I would start by eplacing it with a cartridge type link instead of a wire fusible link.

[GenevaDirt]

thanks for the quick response guys. i got a picture of the wire.




sorry its so ginormous
as you can see the middle wire is pretty fried

i got in it to try and start it and there is no power now. would the burnt wire cause there to be no power? i'm going to replace the wire later on today and ill let you know what happens.

don't just use a regular wire....it needs to be a fusible link, either the same wire type or a cartridge one.

[loyt06]

hey thanks guys
i think my main problem has been solved. i put a new cartridge type fusible link in and the power turned on right away. i had to jump it to get it started but she ran without any probs.

I'm sure i will have plenty more questions in the future.