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1983 Mark VI no power (electrical)

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    1983 Mark VI no power (electrical)

    I drove the Mark VI for the first time in about two weeks last night, no issues whatsoever. Went to start it today to drive it to work, turned the key on, warning lights came on fuel pump ran, went to crank it and heard the starter engage, then I lost all power. No power to anything, no interior lights, nada. Now I had this happen once before and it was because the negative battery cable popped off the battery. Not the case this time, battery connections are good, still no power. Any ideas?
    2002 Mercury Grand Marquis LSE, Sylvania Zevo LED Headlights, MSD Blaster Coils, K&N Cold Air Intake, Dual Exhaust, 3.27's - Dally Driver

    1983 Lincoln Continental Mark VI, Smog Delete - Summer Cruiser



    #2
    All your other grounds ok? Certainly an electrical issue. Cables to starter relay and then to starter ok? Neg battery cable to engine good? I'd check all those first as it sounds like a bad cable or bad connection.
    What I Own: 1993 Mercury Grand Marquis GS
    What I Help Maintain: 1996 CV / 1988 CV / 1988 Tempo

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      #3
      Jump the starer solenoid and see if it cranks. If it does I would check the ignition switch. WagonMan
      89 Colony Park
      90 Colony Park
      70 HEMI Daytona Convertible

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        #4
        Originally posted by friskyfrankie View Post
        All your other grounds ok? Certainly an electrical issue. Cables to starter relay and then to starter ok? Neg battery cable to engine good? I'd check all those first as it sounds like a bad cable or bad connection.
        Yeah, I'll have to check all that tonight. I didn't have time today.
        2002 Mercury Grand Marquis LSE, Sylvania Zevo LED Headlights, MSD Blaster Coils, K&N Cold Air Intake, Dual Exhaust, 3.27's - Dally Driver

        1983 Lincoln Continental Mark VI, Smog Delete - Summer Cruiser


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          #5
          Typically the loss of power is from the main circuit breaker, which is attached to the starter relay, tripping.

          I don't have a great understanding of why this happens but every time it happens to me, it's when I'm using a weak battery. My theory is the low voltage causes the various loads (in that case, the starter relay itself) to pull too much current and then trip the circuit breaker. Hopefully gadget can appear to tell me why this is or is not the case.

          If you disconnect the battery negative and reconnect it, the condition should be resolved, but it might happen again. I'll suggest load-testing the battery. If the battery checks out, my next hit list item would be any other possible cause of voltage drop, so cables and terminals as noted above.
          Last edited by kishy; 09-13-2022, 01:55 PM.

          Current driver: Ranger
          Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
          | 88 TC | 91 GM
          Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
          Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
          | Junkyards

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            #6
            Originally posted by WagonMan View Post
            Jump the starer solenoid and see if it cranks. If it does I would check the ignition switch. WagonMan
            The reason I'm not leaning towards the ignition switch is that I don't even have power to the interior lights. I will admit that ever since that parasitic battery draw popped up in March or April this battery has been run dead and recharged multiple times while I was trying to fix the issue. I suppose it may have just given up, I'll have to tinker with it tonight.
            2002 Mercury Grand Marquis LSE, Sylvania Zevo LED Headlights, MSD Blaster Coils, K&N Cold Air Intake, Dual Exhaust, 3.27's - Dally Driver

            1983 Lincoln Continental Mark VI, Smog Delete - Summer Cruiser


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              #7
              whenever I've had one go totally dead it was a bad connection on the battery cable, could be battery end, could be the other end, but its a main hot or ground.
              86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
              5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

              91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

              1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

              Originally posted by phayzer5
              I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

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                #8
                I figured it out as soon as I got to looking at it. The positive cable came loose from the terminal on the solenoid, wire pulled right out of the crimp. Those cables were brand new when I bought it, obviously cheap junk. I didn't notice that earlier as I was running late and in a hurry.
                2002 Mercury Grand Marquis LSE, Sylvania Zevo LED Headlights, MSD Blaster Coils, K&N Cold Air Intake, Dual Exhaust, 3.27's - Dally Driver

                1983 Lincoln Continental Mark VI, Smog Delete - Summer Cruiser


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                  #9
                  Boom - there it is! Cheap, easy fixes are always the best.
                  What I Own: 1993 Mercury Grand Marquis GS
                  What I Help Maintain: 1996 CV / 1988 CV / 1988 Tempo

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