1988 Chevy Camaro My Camaro is getting no power; won't star

Tiny
88CAMAROHELP
  • MEMBER
  • 1988 CHEVROLET CAMARO
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 109,000 MILES
My car will not start. Disconnected the battery, and used a multimeter to see if there was a break in the system, so I connected it to the negative and poisitive battery cables and it beeped, meanign it wasn't open.

So I thought the battery must be dead. Hooked up the battery and checked the voltage, nothing. Took it to a Napa store and had them check it and they confired the batter was dead.

Got a new battery and nothing has changed.

These are the symptoms, they have stayed consistent through the change in battery:
-when key is turned, nothing happens, no sound, no lights nothing
-the inside light does not turn on when I open the door
-the headlights do not turn on
-the radio will not turn on
-with key in the nuetral position, nothing works. No radio, no windows, no lights


If it was the altenator, wouldnt the car start at least?
So I ruled that out.

Ignition switch? But still, wouldn't the headlights turn on while the car was off?
So I ruled that out.

When I attach the multimeter to either end of the disconnected battery cables, I get a beep, which means there is continuity and the circuit is not open. Does that suffice as a test to see if there is a disconnected wire in the electrical system?

I checked the fuses before switching batteries and they were all fine. I will check them again, but I can't see how a it could be a fuse if they were fine before the battery change.

Any ideas or helpful hints would be much appreciated.
Wednesday, October 8th, 2008 AT 1:57 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
Go to starter see pos batt cable. On that term two or three small wires these carry power to ign. Switch, fuse and aux. They burn up insulation in that metal tube. Remove inspect and repair. Wrap in fiberglass or some heat shield material.
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Saturday, August 17th, 2019 AT 5:00 PM
Tiny
88CAMAROHELP
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thanks for the reply. I was rechecking the wires that lead form the positive battery cable and found a loose one. Fixed it and everything was fine.

Running and good to go.
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Saturday, August 17th, 2019 AT 5:00 PM
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
That's the wire that feeds the ign to fuse. Good job glad it is up and running. Had a 84 Z until 2yrs ago sold it a boy do I miss driving that car.
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Saturday, August 17th, 2019 AT 5:00 PM

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