88 camry problems

bought an 88 camry and it needed new bumper and headlights and grill. It drove fine all the way home. replaced the bumper etc. went and took the car for a drive (gravel road) and the electrical systems started dying. got back in the driveway and lost all electrical, but engine still ran. parked in driveway and shut off car, now nothing. only power we have is hazards and courtesy brights flash. There is a new alternator, starter, spark plugs and the battery is full charge. the batt clamps are good. the car will click when you turn the key, but we have no power anywhere. Checked all the fuses and all look good. what could be the problem.

Welcome to the AF!

Charge the battery with a charger, get the engine running and then test the alternator. I bet you have a bad regulator or a different alternator problem.

New does not mean functioning.

Check out the "Rebuild your own Alternator" thread in the Nonspecific forum.

its not the battery because we took it out of the car and put it in another vehicle and it started it just fine

not the alternator it is good

How did you test the alternator?

It may be your ignition switch.

bench test on the alternator

A "click when you turn the key" can only point to a limited number of things:
1. bad battery
2. Bad (loose/dirty) battery connection.
3. Bad starter relay
4. Bad starter.

The first 2 of those could explain the other problems too.

Start with the easy stuff - starting.

Also, bad/corroded battery cables

if hazards and blinkers are working, sounds like he's got a problem bigger than main battery cables. I don't doubt that it's power cables at some point down the line, but it can't be the main, he's still got blinkers. Engine kept running when car died, so it isn't the alternator. I'm not sure how electrical works, maybe you have some insight Brian, is there some sort of junction box that the power goes to. I would assume that hazard lights have their own wires/power (thanks to safety regulations) and the courtesy blinkers would get power from the same source, but where those branch from power to everythign else is obviously where to look.
I might be way off, things might not work like that at all, or maybe Ill get someones brain moving in the right direction.

I didn't mean necessarily the power cables to the starter. There ought to be another cable running to the fuse box which provides power to everything else besides the starter. If there has been serious corrosion problems, all the battery cables big and small may have a problem.

Since the starter won't crank, and the battery is good, the starter cables may be bad - assuming the clamps and connections are all tight and clean.

The hazards probably use the least power of any system - last to go.

Again, the ignition switch can probably account for this type of problem also.

found the problem and it wasn't from anything anyone advised, it turned out to be the 80 A alt fuse at the battery terminal clamp. Thanks for the help though. any ideas on how to change it, got it so it is working but it is a temp fix, the fuse seems to be stuck/attached to the fuse box

found the problem and it wasn't from anything anyone advised, it turned out to be the 80 A alt fuse at the battery terminal clamp. Thanks for the help though.

Same basic problem as a bad battery cable. I claim the prize.... :)

any ideas on how to change it, got it so it is working but it is a temp fix, the fuse seems to be stuck/attached to the fuse box

There may be a screw/bolt on the bottom of the fuse box holding it in place.

Same basic problem as a bad battery cable. I claim the prize
<grin> Nice try, Brian, but a fuse isn't the same thing as a battery cable!

You might say my comment about "bad battery connection" is the "same basic problem."

You might say my comment about "bad battery connection" is the "same basic problem."[/quote]

I would have to agree, the cable is fine, technically its the connection as power cannot go to the rest of the systems without the connection at this fuse.

But since no one was actually able to cite this specific scenario, the prize should go to my wife who accidentally found this...:p

By the way, what is the prize? :iceslolan

The burned out fuse...

Hey, that'd make a great anniversary present!

The burned out fuse...

And from memory that is a sizeable one (the fuse that is...) :P

I did say that it had to be bad at some sort of junction box or something. That's basically what a fuse does, connects wires at a junction. :)
(I think this thread is done now)

By the way, what is the prize? :iceslolan

getting your car up and going should be enough of a prize. be grateful :bananasmi it wasn't something really wrong with the car and more costly to fix.:2cents:

Regards,

JOET/CAMRY

Thank you all for your help! The car is running thanks to a $4 fuse. So much headache... I am truly grateful for this.

And i'm saving the dead fuse for a gag anniversary gift :P

Maybe i'll be back again someday for some other baffling issue. Its nice to know there's someplace friendly to turn to for help and advice.

Take Care All