No Electrical working

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Juan Fuentes

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Hello Everybody,

I was driving my Duster around and went to coach football practice and when I was leaving I went to start the car and I got nothing at all. I was thinking maybe my battery died and I tried jumpstarting and it was not cranking at all still and the battery was charged. I got it towed back home and the next day it started up fine and when I killed it, it did not want to crank and all my electricals did not work like turn signals, headlights etc. I checked the bulkhead connector on the firewall and the fusible link and they were fine. I am stumped in what it could be. Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thank you in advance!
 
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It HAS to be right there in the immediate power distro. Battery, battery clamps, cables, connections, the bulkhead connector, fuse link, or ammeter connections, in that circuit. DO YOU HAVE a factory service manual and or aftermarket/ 3rd party wiring diagram? Go over to MyMopar.com, they are free

Also look over this article which covers this part of the wiring. I am NOT advocating you modify it at this time, but the simplified diagram there is helpful


Power comes to the "big stud" on the starter relay which is also used as a junction. Goes from there through the fuse link, through the bulkhead connector on "big RED" and to the ammeter. Through the ammeter, out on the big black and a few inches to the factory welded splice (These do break, but rarely, just keep in the back of your mind). At the welded splice, power is routed to the hot buss of the fuse panel, the ignition switch, and the headlights power, couple of other points depending on year.

amp-ga18.jpg
 
Check the nut on the starter relay which is near the battery. The one on my car was loose and sometimes my car wouldn't start and nothing electrical worked. I cleaned the battery terminals and the car would start but the problem would come back again. I think the positive wires would temporarily make enough contact with the relay when I moved the positive cable while cleaning the battery terminals. After I tightened starter relay nut the car always starts now.
 
Knowing the year of your Duster will help us. Pictures of the engine bay can help us too.
Since you only mentioned one fusible like, we'll assume this is a 70-74, with standard wiring.

I agree with the first response, begin with the battery terminals. Both positive and negative.
Juan Fuentes said:
when I was leaving I went to start the car and I got nothing at all. I was thinking maybe my battery died and I tried jumpstarting and it was not cranking at all still and the battery was charged. I got it towed back home and the next day it started up fine and when I killed it, it did not want to crank and all my electricals did not work like turn signals, headlights etc.
Click to expand...

You didn't say if the headlights or dome light worked or not last night, but if not, then the idea that messing with the terminals when jump starting suggests it may be as simple as a bad cable or connection.

You say "Battery is charged." How do you that, or what do you mean by that? If this sounds picky its because different people deermine this in different ways and that can make a difference in the analysis of what has gone wrong.
 
Try this, next time it quits put the key on and turn the radio all the way up and put the headlights on. Now start under the hood and start wiggling the wiring and see if anything happens. Next go under the i.p. and do the same thing. Just watch your head, hehe.
 
Loose or dirty battery connections. Check the main grounds too.
 
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