Hey guys, I just bought a new battery for my 71' camaro like 3 weeks ago and the old one died. It started up fine and everything. Then I was out and had'nt started the car for a week and half. I went to turn it on yesterday it won't even turn on. I took the battery out cleaned the bolts which had a little rust on them and tried to start it again but it failed. Can you help me out?

 

Put a volt meter on your battery to see what the voltage reading is. You could possibly have something in the vehicle electrical system that just drained the voltage and the battery just needs to be recharged. Have you tried "jump starting" it with another vehicle?

 

Yeah I just tired jump starting it, kept it on for a while and still wouldn't even turn on. =\

 

Are you getting any lights or anything? Is it manual or automatic? If it is auto, move the shift lever back and forth a little, I think those had a safety switch. Might need to check all your fuses and there might be a fuse link somewhere under the hood. You should be able to get it to click or something when you are tryng to jump it.

 

No lights or anything. Its an auto, I shifted it to R, N when I was pushing it out to get it jumped. Yea I guess I'll check that too. Everything seems to be the same as it was a week ago its just so strange.

 

Make sure all your battery connections are good and clean, especially your ground (at the battery, the block, and frame). Otherwise, it sounds like you may have toasted a fusible link.

 

deff sounds like a link

 

So if I follow the + cable down I should be able to find the link. But how do I go about changing it?

 

You will have to solder a new one in. It will not be on the "big" red battery cable but on one of the small wires and usually covered by wire insulation.

 

A fusible link is on the main power line that goes to the bulkhead connector, which is what supplies power to the fuse box. It's either on a wire off the positive battery terminal, or at a junction (the starter is sometimes used as one). The link will look like a black rubber lump in the wire, about 3/4" long (give or take). If the link is blown, it should be easy to bend back and forth, and may sound or feel "crispy" inside. DO NOT just bypass it, as that is the main "circuit breaker" for the car's power, which helps to prevent you from having a carbeque if there is a serious short.