No power (electrical)!

[Stainless]

The last few weeks I have been having problems with my battery not holding a charge. I have to charge it for 5-10 minutes to get the car to turn over (it's about -10 f. here right now) and occasionally the starter would buzz for awhile before catching and trying to crank.
Today, I went to charge it up, as I haven't driven in a few days, and figured I might install a new solenoid. I put the new solenoid in, and discovered that I have no power at all. No interior lights, no fuel pump priming, nothing at all. Before I installed the solenoid, there were at least interior lights.
I re-installed the old solenoid, and the same thing.
What could I have done to have caused this? Is there a master fuse hidden between the battery and everything else?
Could I have cracked a wire or connector somewheres? I was very careful, and didn't hear anything breaking.
I need this car to get to work tomorrow AM, any help would be appreciated.

1989 - Winter Beater
1992 - Waiting for the beaters engine in the spring

 

[Ishodu]

Have you tried boosting it? Is the batter swollen out? If you left the dead battery in the car at those temps it could freeze and but toast now. Try giving it a boost and see what happens.

 

[1stSHO]

Did you pay your power bill?

 

[Stainless]

My biggest fear is that I might have shorted something out when changing the solenoids. But it's an 89, it's an easy job, and the battery was disconected.

 

[Ishodu]

Your sure you got the wires on the write places? The cars power will be fed from there also. I can't help ya there because I don't know much about the Gen1's solenoid. But there should be two lugs on the same side. One from battery and one going to power the car.

 

[Stainless]

I double-checked. The positive wire and a green smaller wire were attached to the lower bolt, the ground (i am assuming, there is a fuse link connector with three wires on it) is attached to the top bolt, and the smaller wire with the slip on connector is attached to the small silver stud.

 

[Stainless]

Could I have blown a fuse link inadvertantly?

 

[Ishodu]

Have you tried testing that batt yet?

 

[Stainless]

I bought a cheapo battery, installed it, and let it run with all the accesories on. It died within 30 minutes, so my new guess is it's the alternator.

For clarification: On the starter relay, the cable from the positive terminal and the cable that breaks down into a couple of fuse links connects to the top stud, the starter cable and a smaller green wire are connected to the bottom stud and the smaller cable with the rubber boot is connected to the silver stud, correct?

 

[SHO Nick]

Correct the Red Wire(I believe) with the boot connects to the silver stud..I was just out this very early morning toying the SHO..and the little boot was on the top stud on my '90

 

[projectSHO89]

Correct wiring on the solenoid for an 89:

One small wire to the solenoid coil. Usually a "plug-on".

One large terminal should have only the cable to the starter motor on it.

The other large terminal (always HOT) should have ALL the other cables and wires on it.

If it is correctly connected (I doubt it 'cos I did the same thing), then one or more of the fuse link wires that connect to the HOT stud may have broken.

Steve