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oonee - 26 Nov 2006 21:05 GMT

1986 trans am 5.0 fuel injected. Changed steering column, igntion module,
mass air flow sensor, another relay, at first the car would turn over and
the starter would stay engaged. Removed starter, checked it, fine. Now
there is absolutely no power. Battery is charged...but nothing is
working. Please any ideas. Been working on this car for a couple weeks
now and it's one thing after another. It's my son's car and he needs it
for work.

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MrGoodwrench - 28 Nov 2006 00:13 GMT

sounds like your ignition switch was hanging up....if you changed the
column after the starter stayed engaged and now no power i would check the
ignition switch it is bolted on top of the steering column half way between
the steering wheel and brake pedal more to the left side......small
white/tan box with a metal rod running down the column in to it. it may be
out of adjust ment or the actuator rod might not be properly placed.

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oonee - 29 Nov 2006 14:18 GMT

We have the switched the switches. We put the old one back on and still no
power. The entire car has no power. The battery is fully charged, but
it's not circulating any power anywhere. Checked the wires, they seem
okay. There is no power going to the fuse box. I have bought the
Chilton's for the car with the wire diagrams, but cannot figure out why no
power is circulating. The person who owned the car before is deceased and
was in the middle of restoring it. So it's hard to say what all wires he
may have done anything to.

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The Reverend Natural Light - 30 Nov 2006 20:56 GMT

The main power wires connect to the same ring on the starter as the
battery cable. The last few inches of those wires are the fusible
links. There are several links that power different groups of
components.

The wires/links pass through a guide tube that bolts to the
bellhousing. If the guide was left out or the wires are out of place
they can melt against the exhaust and short out.

There is also a fusible link for the ECM in the last few inches of wire
connected to the positive battery terminal.

-rev

> We have the switched the switches. We put the old one back on and still no
> power. The entire car has no power. The battery is fully charged, but
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> was in the middle of restoring it. So it's hard to say what all wires he
> may have done anything to.

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David Courtney - 29 Nov 2006 15:20 GMT

I don't know anything about that particular car... but there's usually a
"fusible link" somewhere in the line that will melt if you have a major
short somewhere; to protect the rest of the wiring.
On older (70's) cars it was usually a black phenolic fixture on the
firewall... with a strip of aluminum-like material that could be replaced
when it melted. On newer (90's) cars I think they use "maxi" fuses in the
power distribution center (fuse box)... but I think yours falls into the
years (80's) where they used special "hypalon" wires that melt
(intentionally) before the important wires do!
Maybe look in the Chilton's book (good luck) for "fusible link"? Try
Google for "fusible link" otherwise.
David

> 1986 trans am 5.0 fuel injected. Changed steering column, igntion module,
> mass air flow sensor, another relay, at first the car would turn over and
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> now and it's one thing after another. It's my son's car and he needs it
> for work.

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