No starting no gauge lights

[Mlfestiva]

Picked up a 91 festiva yesterday for dirt cheap, story on it is lady left the lights on ran battery dead jump started it smoked one of the fusible links, just ran a wire for the smoked fuse got it home next day wouldn't start. I measured continuity on the fusible links i had from a parts car all measured good. Put them in went to start and it just cranks over nothing else, also notice none of the dumby lights on the dash hurt on and gas gauge dont work. Anyone have a suggestion were else i should be looking for a problem?

[ryanprins13]

Hello and welcome to the forum!
A few things could have happened. In theory the fuseable link blew before anything bad happened while boosting it but they are pretty slow blow and its possible that the insulation on some wires melted causing a bit of a short. Then when the fuse was replaced with a non-fuse it got worse.

So, problems come from poor connections in that fuseable link block. They corrode bad and you can test it and find continuity but not enough power can get through there. See how corroded they are. Also replacing them with these fuses is a good idea.
Once your certain power is getting through there take a test light and check every fuse inside the car. Perhaps one of them blew.
After that ensure your coil to distributor wire is connected. It comes loose when you work on the car without you noticing sometimes, It happens to the best of us.
Then check the wire going from the fuseable link box to the alternator for melted insulation or shorts.
Once all thats checked if it still isnt running we will move on from there!

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

[Mlfestiva]

I'll do all that thank you

[bravekozak]

welcomsign
Welcome to the forum. You have cranking. that's good. Next, check for spark. Lastly, check for gas.
Report back at each stage. (I am assuming you have compression.)

[WmWatt]

For lights and stuff check the other fuses in the fuse box by the driver's door. Good luck.

[Mlfestiva]

Ok cleaned all the connection in the fusible link box and checked wires going to the alternator and have power going there, check power to coil and there isnt any. Checked the fuses inside the car and im not getting power to the engine, meter, defog and tail fuses.

[bravekozak]

Power comes from the ignition switch through the black/white stripe wire to the meter, engine and defog fuses.
If you turn your key to run position (before start and after on) and you don't get any juice at those fuses, it time to check your ignition switch (or the wire in between).

[bravekozak]

That same black/white stripe wire provides juice to the coil too.
Good luck.

[WmWatt]

If you suspect the igntion switch you can spray WD-40 or contact cleaner into the key hole and work it around with the key to clean the contacts. Some people, my self included, have found that works.

[Mlfestiva]

Any good places to get a new ignition switch? There's alot of corrosion on the soldered ends and the plastic piece the wires are soldered to looks like it was broke at one time and clued back together. Want to replace that and the key part. Thanks

[Mlfestiva]

Picked up a new ignition switch, can anyone verify that the red/yellow and green wires taped together are just the buzzer wires. They looked like they were soldered to something and broke off.

[bravekozak]

Here you go.

[getnpsi]

I hope it's your switch. If not, there is a thicker black wire underhood hiding in your harness that corrodes like a MF and could be your problem too. It gives the ecu power. The connector never turns green but the whole wire inside the sheathing will...

Sent from my H1611 using Tapatalk

[bolokid]

Where in Washington are you located?

[Mlfestiva]

Swapped in a ignition switch and now im getting power to everything still wont start put least now i got power.