Hi .. so I just bought a 1995 ford escort 2 door hatchback a few days ago ... was running great ... but like a dummy I didn't check the battery terminals. Then after getting gas the other day I pulled into a 7-11 and it wouldn't start. Popped the hood and the negative terminal was way loose and further more the metal hold down bracket was also loose and had welded itself onto the positive terminal. Oh no... so after getting towed home, the next day I checked all the fuses and fuse blocks .. and replaced a 40 amp and the 100 amp block under the hood by the air filter. So now symptoms are clicking from one of the relays under passenger side next to radio and some sort of hum from under air filter area. If I pull the farthest 30 amp block under the hood the hum stops . No lights. no gauges. no power to fuel pump. I don't want to just start replacing things at random. Any thoughts on what to do next? Any help is much appreciated!

 

Make sure the battery positive cable didn't fry all the way down to the starter. Perform thorough visual inspection of this cable. Make sure too the negative cable is ok, and connections are all clean, and tight. Replace battery hold down.

If those cables check out good check for low battery voltage. 12.6 volts or better. Charge battery if low, or attempt jump start only after you're sure those battery cables are ok.

Let me (us) know what you find, and if the car still doesn't start we'll take it from there.

 

hi ... yes indeed I checked both cables ! darn I felt like such a dummy not having done that kind of inspection in the first place! so it goes ... it now turns over but I suspect no power getting to the fuel pump. still no power to gauges and lights. but the check coolant idiot light is on and stays on regardless of whether or not key is on. It goes off when I try to turn the engine over ... I did also put the battery on a charger overnight and tested it and it tested out fine now... so I'm thinking it must of blown other things than the 40 and 100 amp fuse blocks already replaced. Think i'm gonna head to u pull it and get a few relays and extra fuse blocks maybe a couple of sensors while I'm at it .. ghost in the electrical on a car new to me .. enough to make a gal nuts! Thank you SO much for the help!

 

Do you get any fire if you spray starting fluid into the intake?

Also, do you have a multimeter, or volt meter that reads 12 volts DC?

 

Greeta: you definitely have a short somewhere. Learn to perform a voltage drop test (google for it). The Haynes manual ($20 or the local public library) will give you the values you need to read at various points.
A wire harness could have fried as well.

Good luck!

 

hi and thank you for all of your help and support with this! Much appreciated! Yes I have a multi meter but never have heard of a drop test .. i'll be doing a little homework in the morning sounds like! I'll definately keep you posted!