Does this model have a fusible link between the + battery terminal and the non-starter loads in the car?
My '63 Impala wont start:(
- Thread starter trigger46
- Start date
See if you are getting 12v at the big cable at the starter.
Sounds like you need to send the car to me to be disposed of.seriously start at the battery and go from there.does this car use fuse links at the starter?
He also has no headlights or park lights , none of the items you listed except the battery cable will do that.
I literally just had this in my friend’s Jeep. Connected my Clore Automotive charger (which has saved several other batteries over the years), and let it charge several hours. Showed 100% battery health, and 12.8V with the charger turned off. All good, right? Wrong. Turn the key on to accessory, and everything died. Relays started clicking, the whole works. Try to start, everything completely died. Was able to jump it with a NOCO GB40, but on the drive to AZ it died completely and I had to push it out of the street with the help of a couple peace officers.
Replaced with an AGM battery that showed the same 12.8V, and Jeep started on very first key turn. Somehow had to have a dead cell; was enough to give a few milliamps to show voltage was OK, but any real drain on the battery it was a total dud.
Many thanks to everyone who replied! This is update, I thought the battery was ok but I tried everything except a new battery. So last resort was a new Autozone battery ($200} yesterday, still no start, no headlights, no anything. So at sunset today (24 hrs later) I go into garage, open the driver door and nonchalantly pull the headlight knob & the lights come on, am very excited, then turn the ignition and she starts right up. So that begs a question, why didnt it start yesterday when I got it a new battery?? Any thoughts from any members.
As it turns out was the battery I think, car starts, all lights work, but the new battery was in the car over 24 hrs before the car responded, but I'll take it! This car is nice, no rust, original 283, original Rochester 2bll though needs a rebuild I think, 3 speed on column (kind wish it was a 2-speed powerglide) , no ac, power brakes or power steering, 2 dr hardtop, a very simple car that I will never win a race in but is such a sweet ride!
Would love to see photos. I'm sure I speak for many here.
I have had this car only 8 mos so I'm still learning about it. So today I discovered a 4-prong connection to the voltage reg just hanging there unplugged. So I plug it in and my alternator light comes on indicating its not working properly and it gently pulsates. I then unplugged the 4-prong wire and the alternator light goes out indicating all is well but thats not right. So maybe thats got something to do with the bad battery I had . The car & all lights are working good thanks to a new $200 battery but how long will that continue. I dunno, maybe a bad alternator? Ideas anyone?
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- Jun 26, 2023
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Voltage regulator is cheap and easy. Start there. The fact that plugging the harness in makes the light come on... it's one of the two. I would pull the alt and regulator and take both to the parts store and have them tested. Should be quick and easy R&R on that car, like 20 minutes. Haha. Or you could just throw a new one of each at it, should be pretty cheap. Those charging components aren't real complicated. OR you could convert it over to a newer "one wire" alternator. That'll involve a little bit of modification and wiring, but simple stuff that's pretty easy. I bet if you Google "63 Impala 1 wire alternator conversion" you'll find tons of videos and write-ups. They even sell purty chrome alts if you go that way.
Go through the car and clean up all your grounds (near the tail lights, engine bay, interior, etc). Starting with clean grounds can save you a ton of headache down the road. Good luck with her! Treat her nice and watch out for idiots on the road
Yeah you need the "dummy light" to "excite" the alternator. Put your voltmeter on the battery terminals with it running, should get 14 volts or so.
You probably have micro-corrosion on various switch contacts and connections. It'd be worth going through and unplugging and re-plugging every connection you can find. It can scrape things clean (good) or break something that was just hanging on (also good, in the long term.)
I had a 66 Biscayne and the windshield leaked, all over the wiring underneath there. If there's rust under there, be wary.
You probably have micro-corrosion on various switch contacts and connections. It'd be worth going through and unplugging and re-plugging every connection you can find. It can scrape things clean (good) or break something that was just hanging on (also good, in the long term.)
I had a 66 Biscayne and the windshield leaked, all over the wiring underneath there. If there's rust under there, be wary.
I dealt with that problem about two weeks ago on my ‘74 Lincoln Mark IV. I had a known good battery and no start/no interior lights condition. I used a free (back when HF had free coupons for them) multimeter to test the battery at the terminals. Terminals tested good. Then, I tested each terminal clamp, touching the opposite terminal with the multimeter’s pin. It was a bad negative clamp. I replaced the bad clamp and all was well.
