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Chaplain Kent · 03-07-2006, 02:18 PM

I was at least hoping for sparks or smoke or hissing noises but when I got everything wired back together on the gauges and lights, turned the ignition key on, nothing happened. The only gauge that worked is the Amp or Battery Charge gauge showing I had 12 volts in the battery and it was fully charged. My volt meter confirms a fully charged battery. There are no lights, horn, turn signals, The engine does not turn over, nothing. I can find no live wires anywhere I look other than to the one gauge for the battery. Now I never disconnected the horn and only took out the headlight, and wiper switches but never disconnected the wires. What is going on? It has to be something simple that I overlooked. I am stumped.

guy99 · 03-07-2006, 03:34 PM

Man, that is a real bummer.

I would check chassis fuses. It would have been very easy to short a hot wire.

Do you know which wire to the ignition switch should be hot? Follow it if you can.

swebster · 03-07-2006, 03:42 PM

I'm with Guy...fuse check

norbert · 03-07-2006, 04:57 PM

ruh roh...if i was closer i would stop by....
norby

ralley · 03-07-2006, 05:19 PM

My experience, such as it is, tells me you might have a ground problem. Check your fuses first, systematically, first in your fuse box for the engine fuses, and then go to your in line fuses, fusable links, etc. Your voltmeter might help if you have to check fuses. If those are all good, check your grounds. Your key switch, of I remember correctly, should be hot (showing 12V to ground) in every position except OFF. It is grounded, I would bet. Remember that there are 2 circuits to the starting solenoid, ONE of which runs through the key switch and will cause the solenoid to exercise your starter. The OTHER one should be hot.

I am afraid this sounds familiar, but this is neither the time nor the place......

Rob Alley

Chaplain Kent · 03-07-2006, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norbert

ruh roh...if i was closer i would stop by....
norby

It's an 1 1/2 hour ride and I'll give you all the beer, chips, and ribs you can stomach.
I've checked the fuses, ground wires, and all connections. Still dead. There are no hot wires other than the one for the volt meter, which I have traced to come straight from the alternator, through the ignition switch. The only thing I have not connected are the warning lights for the levelers but that could not have anything to do with this.

davidh · 03-07-2006, 05:58 PM

Chaplain Kent explaine what you actualy did under the dash and what you had apart and dissconnected or hooked up that might help with finding problem.. according to your post headlight and wiper out but did not dissconnect wires, what were you actualy doing.

ralley · 03-07-2006, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chaplain Kent

It's an 1 1/2 hour ride and I'll give you all the beer, chips, and ribs you can stomach.
I've checked the fuses, ground wires, and all connections. Still dead. There are no hot wires other than the one for the volt meter, which I have traced to come straight from the alternator, through the ignition switch. The only thing I have not connected are the warning lights for the levelers but that could not have anything to do with this.

How many other wires on your ignition switch, and where do they go? Something has to go to your solenoid.

I'm still thinking ground. Can you create a good ground with a jumper and check each component which isn't working?

R

Robfike · 03-07-2006, 06:07 PM

Could also be a loose connection down on the starter. That will kill everything.

guy99 · 03-07-2006, 06:09 PM

Do you happen to have a battery shut-off?

**azflycaster** · 03-07-2006, 06:10 PM

One other thing you may want to check:
See if you have a fusable link at the battery. These are wires that act like fuses and you may have blown the one to the ignition switch when you were working on the dash. If removed the pos(+) terminal while you were working on the dash, you may have broken the link also.

2airishuman · 03-07-2006, 06:13 PM

i agree with all the suggestions so far.....

many years ago i went through an anxious hour with mine only moho....
and the same issue....tuned the key.....nothin.......

turned out i did not have the shift knob all the way into park...just a hair off.

of course when i moved it up a little.....all better.....vrrrrroooooommmmm.

so check your top knob bro!

cheers
2air'

overlander63 · 03-07-2006, 06:19 PM

Is it possible that in moving all that stuff around, you knocked off the plug on the ignition switch?
Other than that, grab a test light, and see if any of the wires in the plug for the ignition switch has power, if not you at least have an idea where else to look (between the switch and the power supply).

davidh · 03-07-2006, 06:22 PM

Chaplain Kent You should have a heavy red wire to your ignition switch this wire is hot at all times check this wire at switch for power if no power there is more than likely a fuseable link on that wire. Did you have the electrical connector unpluged from ignition switch if so make sure it is connected propperly.

davidh · 03-07-2006, 06:30 PM

A loose connection at the starter will not kill evrything you allways have power at the ignition switch to run accessories.

**azflycaster** · 03-07-2006, 06:33 PM

Here is a link to fusible links and other things that may help.....
http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/electrical-links.html

swebster · 03-07-2006, 08:45 PM

Quote:

turned out i did not have the shift knob all the way into park...just a hair off.

2air is onto something. I've done this too - took my a good half hour to realize I moved the shift lever down to get the dash panel out when I replaced the radio.

Chaplain, did you check to make sure the shifter is in park? There is a cutout on the ignition.

Chaplain Kent · 03-07-2006, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swebster

2air is onto something. I've done this too - took my a good half hour to realize I moved the shift lever down to get the dash panel out when I replaced the radio.

Chaplain, did you check to make sure the shifter is in park? There is a cutout on the ignition.

Boy I got excited when I read this. 10:30 at night in the sleeting icy rain I run out to Chummy and sure enough the gear selector was not in park. I put it it in park and-----nothing- dead. I'll start checking for more fuses in the AM. By the way, yes I did have the battery disconnected while the dash was removed, no there is not a cut off switch, no in line fuse on the coach battery. I do have power to one gauge only but no power to the ignition switch.

guy99 · 03-07-2006, 09:51 PM

Chaplain Kent,
I got excited when I saw you posting so late, I was hoping you had good news to report. Alas, it was not to be.

Tomorrow is another day. Best of luck.

Guy

davidh · 03-07-2006, 10:14 PM

Chaplain Kent,
Electrical is hard enough to diagnose when its wright in front of you, It gets even tougher when you cannot see it. It would be nice if you could some how get a copy of the wireing schematic to trace the the layout of the electrical. maybe a dealer or Chilton.