Engine Stalled, no Check Engine Light, won't turn over

[65gt2p2]

I have an 89 SHO with ~105k miles. As I was driving home the other day, I was coasting down a hill and noticed the radio had gone out, then while trying to turn it back on I notied the tach was at zero and the engine wasn't running.

As I coasted to a stop at a busy intersection, I tried to restart the car, and I got NOTHING. No solenoid clicks, no check engine light, no starter, no power windows, no blower/climate control. However, the head lights, power seat, interior lights, and key -n-ignition chime still worked. The emergency flasher didn't work either.

After 10-15 minutes I got some help to push the car off to the side of the road. I turned the ignition to ON to unlock the steering wheel, and as the car was being pushed, I saw the check engine light begin to flash, and it almost sounded like a relay might have been switching. I was able to start up the car, drive a short distance, turn it off, wait 5 minutes, start it again and drive the remaining 10 minutes home, parking the car in my garage.

After about a week, I finally got a chance to look at my SHO, and it is back in the dead state. Turn the key and nothing. I don't hear the fuel pump engage either.

Sound familiar to anyone? The battery is ok .... the lights work, but it won't even attempt to turn over, or engage any solenoids. I've checked the fuses and circuit breakers under the steering wheel. The fuse links coming from the starter relay look ok. Anything else obvious to check? I wouldn't think a failed starter or alternator would do something like this.

 

[projectSHO89]

Mine did something similar when the ignition switch failed. I was able to jiggle the key in the cylinder enough to make it work for a couple of days until I was able to replace the switch.

Steve

 

[Ferendon]

I've had that one. Same symptoms, same illness. Not saying that is FOR SURE what's wrong with your car, but it could be. Sometimes when they get old, the key returns from the Start back the On position like normal, but the internals of the cylinder do not fully seat, where they're supposed to be. A good bump knocks it off. Happened to my truck and my first SHO. Try the jiggle method, that's what I did, as well. Hopefully that's it man, it's easy to fix, and if you want, while you're in there, you can remove the spring from the key lock, so you can just turn it off and pull the keys out, no weird switch.

 

[65gt2p2]

Solved

It turns out that one of the three fusable links that connect to a lead on the positive terminal of the starter solenoid had corroded away. Now I just have to find my soldering iron to fix it.

Thanks for the help, I looked at the voltages on the connector to the back of the ignition and discovered they were all 0 V, so backing up led me to the fusable links.