I was unbolting my radiator on my '69 Camaro and hadn't disconnected the battery. My wrench touched the horn relay screw(s) and sparked. Now I don't have any power. No headlights, interior lights, starter. Thinking that I blew the horn relay I just replaced it and still nothing. Any advice? Since the car started and ran fine before I don't think it's a loose wire somewhere but possibly another blown fuse or something elsewhere that controls everything. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

Probably blew a fuseable link under the hood.
Look at the hot lead coming up from the starter, and check for power on both sides of the link (black rubbery lump in the wire).

 

Thanks for the quick response. Is that the black lump on the positive battery cable right at the starter bolt?

 

did you check your FUSES under the dash?

 

Yeah, I checked them and they were OK.

 

Got any juice at the battery itself? What does it read on the meter?

 

Not on the battery cable itself. If your car has another wire on the same stud on the starter, look for a fusible link in that line. From the factory, there is a red wire going from the battery to a junction block on the passenger side of the radiator. From there, a red wire passes along the radiator core support to the drivers side and interconnects with the horn relay, alternator, and voltage regulator (all three are tied together electrically). Then there is another red wire on a tandem lug of the horn relay that definitely should have a fusible link on it (the horn relay is used as a junction block as well). That's probably the link that got cooked. Power from that fusible link wire is what supplies main power TO the fuse panel, not the other way around. If you have no power at all, it's one of those main supply lines. Those ARE NOT fused from inside the car.

 

I'm getting 12.5 V at the battery.

 

That makes a lot of sense. I can't get to it today but I'll check it out tomorrow and let you know the result. Thanks again.

 

It's been a crazy week so I'm just getting back to this issue. I used my test light on both sides of 2 fusible links on the drivers side near the horn relay and still no power. I see what I think is the junction block on passenger side (square box with one post terminal. The terminal has 2 wires, a large gauge red wire that is part of the harness going across the radiator support and a small black wire that is disconnected on the other end). I believe that this small black disconnected wire is the one you mentioned that was red from the factory and should be connected to the positive battery cable. Does that sound right? I wanted to check before frying something.
Thanks again !!