ColdAudio

So I just bought this 89 GT a week ago, and it has been running great ever since.... yesterday I brought the car to get inspected and when I received it back the idle sounded a bit funny, it wasnt steady but rather a little lumpy. I figured it was because I had just thrown an optima red-top in earlier that day and the ECU was still adjusting since it gets reset every time you disconnect the ground on the battery. Today, the idle was also kinda funny... it was steady but didnt sound smooth, so when I got home I figured I'd throw a stock coil in the place of the MSD TIF one I have and see how that worked out. Well, I popped the hood and went to start it with the MSD coil still in there and instantly right when I began to crank the motor I saw a blue spark from under the hood in the area of the coil/battery. Now the car has no electrical power when I turn the key to the "ON" position. It's pitch black out so I can't really look at it tonight, but what happened!? Leading into the coil I also have a 6AL box but it may have nothing to do with the ignition, but I figured I'd mention that. I hope nothing got really messed up

90GTRagtop

If you have no power to anything, it makes me wonder if you had a loose connection to the battery. That could spark like you said as the connection was lost. Also, check the wires of both the positive and negative cables.

ColdAudio

I had looked at them real quick and wiggled them around and they seem to be connected fine... my buddy told me that the starter solenoid is also in that area? Would that cause zero power at all or just an inability to crank?

90GTRagtop

Only if the connection is loose at the solenoid to the + battery cable. The power goes from the battery to a post on the solenoid which also has a number of other wires to distribute power to the rest of the always hot circuits. Did you check both ends of both cables?

ColdAudio

Only the end on the battery... can't really see anything at all in the dark, the bulb on my droplight is dead, and I can't drive to the store now to get a new one anyway! [8D]

90GTRagtop

Do you have a volt meter to see if the battery is still charged. I always try to keep a flashlight in my car for these situations.

5.0_PR

Definitely check the cables for any corrosion on the cables or the terminals. I've read many places that MSD has lots of issues.

ColdAudio

Ok so I go outside after letting it sit for like 15 minutes, check both ends of the battery connection and they're okay, turn the key to ON and have power, but when I go to crank it everything shuts off again and when i take key out and put back in no power again... so im going to assume I killed something with the starter? Now how do I figure out what? I've had a CEL on and off all week but never got to check it out I've only driven the car like 3 times, maybe this was it! Haha! I know there are some fusible links but I always have trouble with electrical systems. Oh and by the way, thank you very much for the help thus far and the speedy replies

90GTRagtop

That's not the starter. Thats classic of a bad or dirty connection or a bad battery.

90GTRagtop

Did you clean the battery terminals and cable ends when you put the new battery in?