'91 Buick electrical woes

Car is a '91 Buick Century Custom with a 3.3 engine. The starter died
and an attempt to jump it by touching some part (I wasn't there to
witness it) of the starter with a screwdriver ended up with sparks and
certain accessories not working anymore (dash for example).

I found 3 'fusible links' that wire from the starter to the rest of the
car but don't know which, if any, are bad. All other fuses in the car
are good (visual and electric test).

Problem is I can't find these replacement fuses at any parts store or
even the dealer. The dealer recommended a hardware store. They are like
white little cylinders/capsules, can't see through them to see if the
fuse is blown, and they are solid so they can't be opened up.

Could these be the cause of certain electrical components not working?
Any ideas where to find replacement 'fusible links'? Thanks for any info.

Red wrote in alt.autos.gm

> Car is a '91 Buick Century Custom with a 3.3 engine. The starter died
> and an attempt to jump it by touching some part (I wasn't there to
> witness it) of the starter with a screwdriver ended up with sparks and
> certain accessories not working anymore (dash for example).
>
> I found 3 'fusible links' that wire from the starter to the rest of
> the car but don't know which, if any, are bad. All other fuses in the
> car are good (visual and electric test).

What do you mean by electrical test? The best way to check a fuse is to
read it with an ohm meter. And you should be able to read the links
with such a meter. However, I think I know what he tried to do, and that
is hard, if not impossible, to do with the solenoid mounted on top
of the starter.
Yeah, he probably did blow a fusable linke or two.

>
> Problem is I can't find these replacement fuses at any parts store or
> even the dealer. The dealer recommended a hardware store. They are
> like white little cylinders/capsules, can't see through them to see if
> the fuse is blown, and they are solid so they can't be opened up.
>
> Could these be the cause of certain electrical components not working?
> Any ideas where to find replacement 'fusible links'? Thanks for any
> info.

I just did a quick check on the web, and what you need to do is
find out the rating of the links, then go to an autoparts store
and buy some that match the rating. Then you cut out the old link
and put in the new links.


--
Dick #1349
Damn it . . . Don't you dare ask God to help me.
To her housekeeper, who had begun to pray aloud.
~~ Joan Crawford, actress, d. May 10, 1977
Home Page: dickcr.iwarp.com
email: dickcr@comcast.net

"Dick C" <foo.dickcr@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:Xns94A981F79BE00dickcrcomcastnet@216.196.97.1 36...
> Red wrote in alt.autos.gm
>
> > Car is a '91 Buick Century Custom with a 3.3 engine. The starter died
> > and an attempt to jump it by touching some part (I wasn't there to
> > witness it) of the starter with a screwdriver ended up with sparks and
> > certain accessories not working anymore (dash for example).
> >
> > I found 3 'fusible links' that wire from the starter to the rest of
> > the car but don't know which, if any, are bad. All other fuses in the
> > car are good (visual and electric test).
>
> What do you mean by electrical test? The best way to check a fuse is to
> read it with an ohm meter. And you should be able to read the links
> with such a meter. However, I think I know what he tried to do, and that
> is hard, if not impossible, to do with the solenoid mounted on top
> of the starter.
> Yeah, he probably did blow a fusable linke or two.
>

If you want to leave the links connected and test them the best way is to
strip a little insulation to get bare wire and check for voltage on both
sides of the fuse link. If you don't get voltage on either side then you may
have to turn the key to the run posistion and try again. If you get voltage
on one side but not the other then you have a bad/open link. Change it! If
you get voltage on both sides it's OK. If you are going to test using an ohm
meter then you should remove the fuses first or you may get a false reading
through the circuit. It may end up being easiest to remove them and check
them with an Ohm meter though.

Yes you need to know the current/Amp rating of the fuse, that's the most
important thing for a fuse or fusible link.

I would guess that who ever tried that touched the screwdriver to the frame
or engine and ended up dead shorting the circuit instead of jumping across
the solenoid. You will still have a problem with your starter or starter
solenoid after you repair the fuses though. I guess you knew that though!

Figured it out!

There was a kill switch installed recently and there was a 20amp fuse
wired under the steering wheel. Found it by luck and it was blown,
replaced that, put in the new starter and everything works out now.

The electrical test I mentioned earlier was supposedly done with a 'fuse
tester', they hook up the fuse to to the tester and if it lights up, the
fuse is good.

A while back I saw one mechanic test a starter using a quarter, he
touched some part of it and it turned over... so I'm wondering what part
he did it on... the solenoid or the hot wire post?

Thanks again for the info.

"Red" <red_bowfire@NOSPAMsbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:40522F90.4000708@NOSPAMsbcglobal.net...
> Figured it out!
>
> There was a kill switch installed recently and there was a 20amp fuse
> wired under the steering wheel. Found it by luck and it was blown,
> replaced that, put in the new starter and everything works out now.
>
> The electrical test I mentioned earlier was supposedly done with a 'fuse
> tester', they hook up the fuse to to the tester and if it lights up, the
> fuse is good.
>
> A while back I saw one mechanic test a starter using a quarter, he
> touched some part of it and it turned over... so I'm wondering what part
> he did it on... the solenoid or the hot wire post?
>
> Thanks again for the info.
>

I'm sure it was the solenoid across its contact posts. If you tried to
jumper the starter posts it would do nothing unless the solenoid kicked in,
then you would have another short and a blown fuse.