Ok now what - lost ALL electrical

[BS CUDA]

 Ok folks guess what - I am looking for more assistance. The car was running like a champ when I put her away last night so I decided to repair the timing cover leak and put some new skins on her.

 Got the leak sealed up (I think) and went to fire it up and NOTHING - no power to anything - like someone removed the battery. I cannot see anything unplugged etc. I ran a wire from the battery + directly to the big post on the starter relay and everything powers up. I pulled the wire off as soon as I confirmed power as I am unsure if this could cause damage to any other components.

 Any ideas?? Can I just leave the direct link hooked up? 

[734406pk]

Is your fuse link between the starter relay and the bulkhead connector as factory? There shouldn't be a fuse link between the battery pos and the start relay. Check the connection in between. It's supposed to be a wire connecting bat pos to the relay, no fuse.

[dodj]

Is your fuse link between the starter relay and the bulkhead connector as factory? There shouldn't be a fuse link between the battery pos and the start relay. Check the connection in between. It's supposed to be a wire connecting bat pos to the relay, no fuse.

You found your problem. Replace the component between the pos post and the relay. With wire, not a fusible link.

[BS CUDA]

There is not a direct wire from the battery to the starter relay. This likely changed with the trunk mounted battery, battery disconnect switch, msd ignition etc?
Cable from battery to starter. Then a black wire from small post starter to small post on starter relay, big post on starter relay is run to big post on alternator.

All worked fine until today - not even a warning.

Perhaps I should cut out the wire from the bulkhead to the starter relay and replace it?

[ChallengerHK]

Check the a meter for continuity. I had total power failure from an a meter burnout.

[BS CUDA]

I took a look behind the dash (new install) and everything looks good at the ammeter. Should have bypassed it when I had the dash out but...........

Think I would still be able to hotlink from the battery to the relay successfully if the ammeter was fried???

[BS CUDA]

There is not a direct wire from the battery to the starter relay. This likely changed with the trunk mounted battery, battery disconnect switch, msd ignition etc?
Cable from battery to starter. Then a black wire from small post starter to small post on starter relay, big post on starter relay is run to big post on alternator.

All worked fine until today - not even a warning.

Perhaps I should cut out the wire from the bulkhead to the starter relay and replace it?

Ok that didn't solve it-replaced the bulk head to relay wire and the starter to relay wire and still no juice.

[734406pk]

Do you have 12 volts at the starter relay battery terminal?

[BS CUDA]

Check the a meter for continuity. I had total power failure from an a meter burnout.

Hmmmmmm more I look at this and the bypass link I have saved - I wonder if this isn't it. I'll bypass in the morning - looks like it is 1/2 way done and I already have a voltage gauge hooked up anyways. Perhaps voltage regulators will last long as well.

http://madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

[734406pk]

If you jumped the batt pos to the starter relay and gained power to the vehicle, the problem would appear to be in the battery feed to starter relay circuit. Which is 1 wire.?

[BS CUDA]

Do you have 12 volts at the starter relay battery terminal?

Nothing to the relay. power all the way to the starter and up through to the MSD ignition but nothing "into" the car ie ignition(key)switch, lights etc.

[BS CUDA]

If you jumped the batt pos to the starter relay and gained power to the vehicle, the problem would appear to be in the battery feed to starter relay circuit. Which is 1 wire.?

Yes - a big cable (00 if I remember correctly) from battery to starter and one small wire straight to alternator. Both of these flow through a disconnect switch which has tested fine.

[BS CUDA]

If you jumped the batt pos to the starter relay and gained power to the vehicle, the problem would appear to be in the battery feed to starter relay circuit. Which is 1 wire.?

  73446PK 
 Thanks for talking me through this - I just ran a new wire from the battery to the alternator and voila - she fires and has power seemingly everywhere. Perhaps I damaged the wire while installing the crappy Palco panels yesterday (another thread upcoming).

Again this site helped me through - I feel almost invincible  Don't go anywhere folks - I'm sure there is another dilemma coming soon to my garage.

[BS CUDA]

 Woops - too excited too soon. With the new small wire run directly from the battery to the alt it bypasses the cutoff switch. When I run the new wire from the cutoff switch to the alt - I still have no power.

I am so confused. 

[Bullitt-]

Woops - too excited too soon. With the new small wire run directly from the battery to the alt it bypasses the cutoff switch. When I run the new wire from the cutoff switch to the alt - I still have no power.

I am so confused. 

I'd be looking hard at the cutoff switch & the connection to it back to the battery.