No power after engine install HELP

[JFC10]

Hi all

I recently finished slamming the 350 back into my '69 C10. It came out to install a timing chain, drop the oil pan, a new intake, to check for catastrophic damage and misc. other stuff. Only took me 3 nights, gotta be a personal best

So I get everything bolted up, I'm in a rush and I hook up all the wiring and small stuff. I had it all hooked up, neglecting the alternator leads.
Well, sat the starter in the engine bay (grounded) and hooked it up to make sure I had it right before crawling under there again.
Starter wires (with the starter hooked up) suck...

Well I go to bump the key to make sure it spins, and there's a click, and I see the needles on the gauges jump a little and go back down. Nothing electric works now...

So my question: what will burn/pop if all the alternator leads were touching ground when I turned the key?

I have the big hot lead going to the starter (know I got that right) and one small yellow, and bigger purple lead that are bolted to posts on opposite sides of the starter solenoid. I have an S and an R marked on those two posts.
Going to be honest: totally guessed on which of these small leads went where on the solenoid, based on how the wires were bent into shape.

Now I have all the leads correctly hooked up on the alternator, and no cab lights, headlights, no crank, no gauges, absolutely nothing. ALL the fuses are fine, I checked them about 10 times. Humor me and let's just say they are all good...
Assuming all the wiring is stock (the farmer who owned this before me made some questionable fixes, based on the yarn he used to affix wiring harnesses) what could have happened? Fusible link?? Everything I can see looks fine, no burns or stretchy wires

Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Thanks

[Grumpy old man]

Try installing the starter so it's grounded and see if that helps .

[lowbucktrucks]

according to the wiring diagram I found on this sight, there is a fusible link between the battery and the junction block. Look to see if there is a smaller wire coming off the positive post, trace it to the junction block, and see if you have power there (use a voltmeter or test light)

[saxart]

If the main (usually red) wire coming off the back of the alternator grounded out on something, it's plausible that it fried the fusible link which goes between the battery and the common junction block inside the passenger fender.

This diagram is for an upgraded 12SI alternator, but you can see how the red wire is basically routed straight to the battery.

[LockDoc]

-
Try hooking a jumper wire from the + post on the battery to the junction block on the passenger side of the inner fender and see if you have lights again. I really wouldn't do that though until you have the starter bolted in and all of the other electrical stuff buttoned up. If you have power then, the fuseable link is melted.

The Purple wire connects to the "S" terminal and the Yellow wire connects to the "R" terminal. If you have an HEI distributor you don't need to connect the yellow wire.

Let us know what happens.

Edit: I type way too slow....

LockDoc

[JFC10]

Thanks for the help everyone
I replaced the wire from the + terminal to the junction block, and also replaced all the ends of the leads that go into the junction block, some we're questionable.
Still no power.

I found a few rubber-bulb connectors that house fuses, and I replaced those as well. There's on by each fender I assume they're for headlights or something.

Any more suggestions? Thanks again

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by JFC10

Thanks for the help everyone
I replaced the wire from the + terminal to the junction block, and also replaced all the ends of the leads that go into the junction block, some we're questionable.
Still no power.

I found a few rubber-bulb connectors that house fuses, and I replaced those as well. There's on by each fender I assume they're for headlights or something.

Any more suggestions? Thanks again

Those are 4 amp fuses for the battery gauge in the cluster. They wouldn't have any affect on your problem.

You may have already done it but take both battery cables completely off and clean both ends of them good, as well as the block where the ground cable bolts on. I guess the next thing I would check is to see if you have power to the ignition switch. Also make sure your battery still has a full charge.

LockDoc

[saxart]

Originally Posted by JFC10

Thanks for the help everyone. I replaced the wire from the + terminal to the junction block...

This wire is supposed to be a "fusable link". Did you buy one from a local parts store, or just use a chunk of wire? If you used wire, make sure you get a fusable link so your truck doesn't burn down someday.

[JFC10]

I cleaned the terminals, and have a good battery that is on the charger while it's in the truck. I had a leftover fusable link from starter wires that burned on another project, I used that to make a new lead from + to the junction block (although it's probably not the correct gauge. )

I have a friend with a real multimeter and much more electrical experience than me coming to help. I don't even think there's power to the fuse box, we'll see.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by JFC10

I cleaned the terminals, and have a good battery that is on the charger while it's in the truck. I had a leftover fusable link from starter wires that burned on another project, I used that to make a new lead from + to the junction block (although it's probably not the correct gauge. )

I have a friend with a real multimeter and much more electrical experience than me coming to help. I don't even think there's power to the fuse box, we'll see.

Make sure that the Red wire in saxart's picture (the one that runs from the junction block at the top of the picture, down the left side of the picture and connects to two other red wires where the big round Black dot is) is connected at the junction block and runs across the core support and down to the splice with the other two Red wires down by the Voltage regulator. The splice will be taped up with electrical tape. Also test for power there.

LockDoc

[HO455]

Are you certain the used fusible link you installed is good?

[JFC10]

Update:

I traced power all the way to the fuse box. In the process, I took off the main connector that goes through the firewall into the back of the fuse box, on the driver's side firewall. I tested some of the spades in the connector ect.

THIS is weird...
So while testing the fuse box under the dash (after playing with the big connector on the firewall), I notice the radio is hotwired to the fuse box. I turn it on and it works.
Then, I play with the headlight switch. They come on like the 3rd time I pull the switch....
I hit the button in the door jam for the cab lights... It comes on, like the 3rd time.
I bump the key and it cranks!! And I see the battery gauge slowly going going up.

This was really, really weird. I still really don't know the problem is, a bad connection in that big connector? I'll try tomorrow and if it still works I'd consider it fixed. Hoping it doesn't come back. Thanks for the help everyone.