Can anyone solve this super-weird problem? PLEASE HELP!

[NORMAN]

Hi folks,

I and my friend did an engine swap on his '89 SHO, and now we can't get the lights, or anything else to work.. Not even the ignition..Absolutely DEAD! We took out the high mileage long block for a lower mileage one out of a same month manufactured '89.. Even the same color combination..

We are 99.9% sure that we had everything hooked up right (we've done SHO swaps before), and the battery is brand new. Yes, it is holding a full charge. The connections are on good and tight..I am getting 12 volts power at one post of the starter relay, but not at the other...

All the fuses under the driver's dashboard are not burnt out. We checked a few of the 'inline' fusible links in the engine bay, and every one that we checked looked fine. (We still don't know which fusible link is the 'main' fuse though).. There must be the mother of all fusible links somewhere in there that could have been shorted out..

Does any one on the list know how many fusible links an '89 have in its engine bay, as well as which one is for what? We would like to know which one is like the main one for the whole electrical system.. (My Chilton and Probst books doesn't say)

THE BIG QUESTION:

Is there anybody who have experienced the same problem, and if so, what was it?

PLEASE HELP US OUT, since we have our backs up against the wall.. Big time.. We are about to send it out to a shop for who knows how large of a repair-bill..

Thanks, Norm

'89 red/grey SHO
'93 black/black MTX SHO
'93 red/grey ATX SHO (parting out)
'99 black/characol Mustang Cobra ([email protected] stock on crappy soon-to-be bald tires - And a [email protected] to back it up with)

<small>[ December 23, 2002, 05:26 AM: Message edited by: NORMAN ]</small>

 

[olympic]

Check your connections at the starter solenoid on the fender. That's where the main power supply for the wire harness gets it's power. Those wires should be attached to the battery side of the solenoid. The only thing that should be attached to the starter side of the solenoid is the power cable to the starter.

If that's fine then check the fusible links. There's one just downstream of the solenoid. Follow the wire harness power wires from the solenoid into the harness to find it. You may have to unwrap some tape though. Good luck!

 

[Nook]

Do you have the donor SHO still? Ifit were me, in this situation, I would try swapping out suspect parts from the donor SHO as a troubleshooting measure....

N

 

[steevil]

engine ground strap maybe?

Have you tried jumping the remote solenoid? COuld've broke a post off inside.

 

[projectSHO89]

Olympic said it.

They put the main supply wire on the wrong starter relay terminal.

99.9% probability.

Don't ask me how I found that out.

Steve