I recently cracked a piston in my 1969 oldsmobile Cutlass S, 350 4 barrel carb. I just got finsihed replacign the piston and getting the engine back together. I go it running at bad timing, let it sit for two days, then got back to timing it. Battery was dead, probably a short somewhere, but i got it charged up and the car started fine. Was in the process of timing it for about 20 minutes, and I turned the car off, and when I tried to turn it back on, no electrical power at all. No lights, no sound from starter, nothing. Battery was at 13 volts, and it had a good ground to engine. No idea whats going on.

 

Check the wire that goes from the battery to the horn relay on the drivers fender. That supplies power to the car and if the connection is bad you'll have nothing.

 

I checked that connection. It all looks good and seems to be working properly. Any other suggestions?

 

Follow that wire back to the bulkhead and make sure it's in good shape. Other than that I really don't know what to tell you. I have a scan of the 1970 wiring diagram, but I don't know how different it is from 68.

 

I'm not sure if your car has fuse links at starter post or not. It is possible one of them has burned. Check at starter post for thin wires coming off big post. If they are there pull on them. If they stretch like a rubber band they are bad. They will often burn or break inside the insulation and not be visible, so pull on them to see if they stretch. Mark

 

Ok. Thank you for your suggestions, ill check both of those out soon. Hopefully tonight, but probably tomorrow.

 

I checked out the wires coming off the starter, none seemed stretchy. Also, I have a wiring diagram for my 69, and all the wires are good coming off of that horn relay. any more suggestions? thanks for all the help so far.

 

did you try to clean the battery post? or the ends on the cables? have the ends ben overtight and lost clamping force? just tossing around ideas.

 

The only other thing I can think of the the ignition switch on the column. If that took a dump you won't get anything out.
Do the headlights work? What about the horn?

 

If your shifter is not completely in park or neutral, it won't start. You should have lights though.

 

Check the ground wire, particularly where it bolts to the block. Also verify that all ground straps were properly reinstalled after the engine repair.

 

If you don't have a voltmeter get a troubleshooting light (looks like a little pen with a wire to clip onto ground and a pointy tip). Use it to probe locations suggested, if the light illuminates then you have voltage. This only works if you have a good ground and does not tell you how much voltage you have, only that you do have some voltage. Like Joe said, you may have a poor ground cable, or you could have a weak battery too. Take it to an auto parts store and have them check it for you. Finally, you could have a good battery but a bad alternator that is not charging the battery sufficiently.

 

long break in this post due to finals, but now I am ready to get back to it. Headlights do not work, Horn is not hooked up. Battery is reading 12.29 volts under no load, which isn't fully charged, but I feel like I should still get some lights. Used voltmeter to test ground. ground is good.

 

If you are not getting any lights then you are not getting power into the car. It points back to the connection at the horn relay or the main ground like Joe said. Are you getting the same voltage reading off the post on the horn relay as you do at the battery? If not you should.
Check the fuses and make sure none of them died on you.
Not sure where else to tell you to look at this point beyond the main harness under the dash.

 

Well, apparently I don't know what im doing, because it was that horn relay to positive post cable. literally the first suggestion from svnt442. Earlier, I just checked to make sure it was connected, not a good connection. And It turns out that it was a bad connection. Thank you all so much for helping me out with this problem. I just wish I could have saved all of you some time and figured it out sooner. I can finally drive my baby again. Can't wait.

 

I'm glad you figured it out.
Happy motoring!!