Howdy,
I was exercising my '67 Eldorado yesterday and all was good. AC blowing cold, everything working as designed. This car has never let me down in the four years I've owned it. I've taken trips of several hundred miles as recently as a couple weeks ago. She always performed admirably.
But, yesterday, as I was cruising the country roads near my house at only about 30 mph through a 90 degree corner, the AC quit, the GEN light flickered for a split second then off, and I had no power at all. Engine had died, nothing electric worked. Fortunately, I wasn't going fast and stopping was easy. And, as its a rural area with little traffic, there was little danger.
My first thought was to check the negative ground from the battery to the frame, as I had this issue on another car in the past. But, the ground was fine. Same for engine ground strap. Battery was producing 12 volts. I checked the connection at the starter and it was getting power. I was lucky to break down in front of a really helpful family's little ranch. We towed my car the short distance to my place and she's back in the garage.
But, I don't know what to check next. Has anybody had this kind of total failure? By the way, this car always runs cool, and it was not overheated at all. There are no engine issues. Like I said, everything was working properly until it wasn't.
Any advice will be appreciated.
This will probably be obvious but you did try to start it by turning the key and got nothing? Any dash lights illuminate? Would probably need a wiring diagram but my first inkling would be the coil or the circuit to the coil. Others can chime in.
Thanks, Bryan. Turning the key does nothing. No lights, either switched or unstitched, or other electrical stuff works at all. The GEN light flickered for a split second when the engine quit, nothing on the dash since. Thanks for the suggestion on the coil. I'll have a look.
No power to anything is a good indication of burnt or broken fused primary wires down at the starter.
Greg surfas
Does any electrical stuff work?
Assuming 67 was the same as slightly later and the 70's GM's basic system was 3 fusible link wires coming off the battery terminal at the starter. Fusible link wire is usually around a foot in length, has a more rubbery insulation, and is a solid core. Also can be identified by an inline splice where it transitions to regular wire. When a link wire 'blows' the insulation isn't supposed to melt just the wire inside it so at a glance it may look fine.
One of the link wires feeds the headlight switch, just for the headlights, the other lights are controlled by the switch but now powered from this link wire. Another link wire feeds half the fuse box for the stuff that is always on. Last link wire feeds the key which then feeds the rest of the fuse box for the stuff that comes on with the key. Seeing what still works (if anything) and knowing that basic layout may help you figure out where to start looking.
Down at the starter is a good place to start looking since its not far from road grime then follow the harness that has to get routed around the exhaust. Often times when a starter gets changed heat shields and cable guides don't get installed properly or at all so around the exhaust is a common place to find damage. Next place for issues is the bulkhead connector (assuming they were using them in 67). All 3 of those main feeds go through connections that over time could have issues.
Joe,
Besides what was already posted, I would remove all of the wires at the starter and inspect them. Also clean these connections prior to reinstalling them. Decades ago, I had a no-start issue on my '71 Eldorado and the wires looked good. I took the wires off and found that one had a lot of corrosion that was hidden until the wires were removed.
Quote from: TJ Hopland on June 08, 2025, 10:21:35 AMDoes any electrical stuff work?
Assuming 67 was the same as slightly later and the 70's GM's basic system was 3 fusible link wires coming off the battery terminal at the starter. Fusible link wire is usually around a foot in length, has a more rubbery insulation, and is a solid core. Also can be identified by an inline splice where it transitions to regular wire. When a link wire 'blows' the insulation isn't supposed to melt just the wire inside it so at a glance it may look fine.
One of the link wires feeds the headlight switch, just for the headlights, the other lights are controlled by the switch but now powered from this link wire. Another link wire feeds half the fuse box for the stuff that is always on. Last link wire feeds the key which then feeds the rest of the fuse box for the stuff that comes on with the key. Seeing what still works (if anything) and knowing that basic layout may help you figure out where to start looking.
Down at the starter is a good place to start looking since its not far from road grime then follow the harness that has to get routed around the exhaust. Often times when a starter gets changed heat shields and cable guides don't get installed properly or at all so around the exhaust is a common place to find damage. Next place for issues is the bulkhead connector (assuming they were using them in 67). All 3 of those main feeds go through connections that over time could have issues.
Nothing at all worked after the car stalled and the GEN light momentarily flickered, then went black.
Looks like I need to inspect the starter connections first and see if that helps.
Thanks a lot for your interest and advice.
Quote from: "Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364 on June 08, 2025, 09:10:59 AMNo power to anything is a good indication of burnt or broken fused primary wires down at the starter.
Greg surfas
Thanks, Greg! At least the AC was working well...until everything else quit...LOL.
The wiring at the starter is the best place to begin. For what it is worth, many years ago, I had a 1965 DeVille that developed a similar problem. Turned out to be the ignition switch. Good luck!
My guess is the wiring at and around the starter.....I think there is an inline fuse within a clump of wires near and above the starter.
Sometimes those wires make their way to an exhaust pipe and get cooked...
Check to see if power is getting thru that inline fuse....
Mike
Since you have nuthn start at the battery, double tripple check the ground and just for fun grab a set of jumper cables and add some more grounds between the batt, engine, and body just to be sure. Once you know for sure you are good on that side start tracing the positive side from the battery. Junction at the starter is likely but who knows maybe you had some odd cable failure.
A test light is a great tool for this sort of thing. If you don't have one do you have any extra automotive bulbs and sockets laying around? Make your own. A tail lamp? Great. Trailer light? Great. Headlamp that will work too. Connect one end to ground then work your way along starting at the battery till you loose it. One of those power probe things would be cool here too. A digital meter can fool you since they don't really load the system, you could get a voltage reading but as soon as you try to load it it goes away.
I owned a 67 Eldorado that did exactly the same thing way back in 1980! A/C on, hot day. It was my daily driver, and I have no idea regarding mileage as, as usual, the odometer had failed. The key switch is your likely culprit as virtually EVERY accessory passes through contacts on the key switch (gm didn't have relays) The assembly is easy to access, and you may find a lump of melted plastic with burned contacts at high amperage connections at the key switch. James
Thanks for all the help.
I so have a test light and I have power at the solenoid connection. I was advised to check for power at the coil next, but I have not been able to detect power at the positive terminal on the coil. I'm wondering if I can run a jumper directly from the battery to the coil and see if the electric stuff works? I suppose this would isolate the problem to the wiring harness from the solenoid to the coil? I haven't found any fusible links, but the wiring looks like Bubba may have been in there..LOL.
Thanks for the suggestion to check the ignition. I will do this today and see what I find.
Really appreciate all the help! Joe
If you have nothing else working including headlights I would not be looking at the ignition switch.
I can't quite see the logic in checking at the coil since you are saying nothing else is working. The system is like a tree with the battery being the trunk. Things like the coil are the tips of the branches. You are saying all the branches appear to be dead so you need to start where there is life and work your way up from there.
I don't think jumping power to the coil would be a good idea at this stage. That could end up backfeeding the entire car electrical system through a wire only meant to run the coil. Its a resistor wire to further limit it. Your jumper also would not likely be up to the task and that is assuming there isn't a massive fault that is still shorted out that caused the normal path to blow/fail in the first place.
You need a full proper electrical diagram for this thing along with possibly the manual to help you know where the stuff on the diagram is located. I found a partial diagram showing the starting/ignition part of the system. It does confirm that it is the 3 link system that was used through the 70's. It also confirms there is what looks like maybe a 10? pin rectangular connector involved, possibly at the bulkhead/firewall? Based on what goes through the connector and what doesn't I'm pretty sure that is where it is.
At the starter fat terminal there are 3 link wires.
-dark green 18awg fusible link wire that splices into a red 14awg wire this is noted at going to the headlight switch.
-black 16awg link to red 10awg, note says fuse box
-black 16awg link to red 10awg, shows it going to the ignition switch
All 3 of those are fusible links at the starter then splice to regular wires that then go to that bulkhead connector. The splices are a fat plastic inline thing. That starter harness also should have a violet and yellow wire in it.
Now that we know that this is indeed how the system is supposed to work you know where to start looking. And it is 3 feeds so if NOTHING is working the problem has to be in the starter area otherwise maybe the headlight would still work or maybe interior lighting or something. All 3 of those wires would have to have been damaged at the same time to have the fault be further away from the starter. Could that happen? Sure but doesn't seem likely that all 3 would go at exactally the same time while you were driving even if you blew out an exhaust gasket or a wire support broke and they fell on the manifold, 1 maybe 2 but all 3 in that short of a period of time?
And this is assuming its still stock. I have seen and we have had it documented here where people could not figure out this 3 feed system so they start putting jumpers in various places to sort of get things working again for a while. Not that long ago someone here had all sorts of wacky stuff going on I think a mid 60's car and they finally removed the fuse box and found someone had installed a jumper wire on the back that had finally failed.
Find that bulkhead connector and look for those 2 fat red wires along with a little smaller red, those are the 3 feeds from the starter. I'm guessing due to age or hackery your issue is gonna be in that area. Someone did some sort of hack repair down there that has caused all 3 to fail at the same time. You can buy link wire on little spools from parts stores. 18 awg for the headlight and 16 awg for the other two. You can also buy little spools of the regular wire 10awg and 14. While you are there probably pull that connector apart and make sure its clean and no signs of heating. Its proabbly packard 56 pins which are easy to find and replace.
Quote from: TJ Hopland on June 09, 2025, 11:27:45 AMIf you have nothing else working including headlights I would not be looking at the ignition switch.
I can't quite see the logic in checking at the coil since you are saying nothing else is working. The system is like a tree with the battery being the trunk. Things like the coil are the tips of the branches. You are saying all the branches appear to be dead so you need to start where there is life and work your way up from there.
I don't think jumping power to the coil would be a good idea at this stage. That could end up backfeeding the entire car electrical system through a wire only meant to run the coil. Its a resistor wire to further limit it. Your jumper also would not likely be up to the task and that is assuming there isn't a massive fault that is still shorted out that caused the normal path to blow/fail in the first place.
You need a full proper electrical diagram for this thing along with possibly the manual to help you know where the stuff on the diagram is located. I found a partial diagram showing the starting/ignition part of the system. It does confirm that it is the 3 link system that was used through the 70's. It also confirms there is what looks like maybe a 10? pin rectangular connector involved, possibly at the bulkhead/firewall? Based on what goes through the connector and what doesn't I'm pretty sure that is where it is.
At the starter fat terminal there are 3 link wires.
-dark green 18awg fusible link wire that splices into a red 14awg wire this is noted at going to the headlight switch.
-black 16awg link to red 10awg, note says fuse box
-black 16awg link to red 10awg, shows it going to the ignition switch
All 3 of those are fusible links at the starter then splice to regular wires that then go to that bulkhead connector. The splices are a fat plastic inline thing. That starter harness also should have a violet and yellow wire in it.
Now that we know that this is indeed how the system is supposed to work you know where to start looking. And it is 3 feeds so if NOTHING is working the problem has to be in the starter area otherwise maybe the headlight would still work or maybe interior lighting or something. All 3 of those wires would have to have been damaged at the same time to have the fault be further away from the starter. Could that happen? Sure but doesn't seem likely that all 3 would go at exactally the same time while you were driving even if you blew out an exhaust gasket or a wire support broke and they fell on the manifold, 1 maybe 2 but all 3 in that short of a period of time?
And this is assuming its still stock. I have seen and we have had it documented here where people could not figure out this 3 feed system so they start putting jumpers in various places to sort of get things working again for a while. Not that long ago someone here had all sorts of wacky stuff going on I think a mid 60's car and they finally removed the fuse box and found someone had installed a jumper wire on the back that had finally failed.
Find that bulkhead connector and look for those 2 fat red wires along with a little smaller red, those are the 3 feeds from the starter. I'm guessing due to age or hackery your issue is gonna be in that area. Someone did some sort of hack repair down there that has caused all 3 to fail at the same time. You can buy link wire on little spools from parts stores. 18 awg for the headlight and 16 awg for the other two. You can also buy little spools of the regular wire 10awg and 14. While you are there probably pull that connector apart and make sure its clean and no signs of heating. Its proabbly packard 56 pins which are easy to find and replace.
Thanks a lot for the detailed roadmap! I'll get started and report back.
So, evidence of Bubba's fixes.
I noticed a not very correct looking red wire going through the firewall just above the brake booster (pic 1). it is spliced into a harness near the center of the firewall (pic 2).
Under the dash it is spliced into two red wires at the rear of the ignition switch. Thoughts?
Nothing burned or disconnected at the switch as far as I can tell.
Now, got to get under the car for more investigation...
A few more pics. Bubba everywhere..LOL.
Pics of the connections to the solenoid: two red together, one red alone, positive battery cable. Smaller stud has the white wire that I believe is spliced into the wiring harness in the last pic, taken from the engine bay side. Black cable attached to the other side of the solenoid (hard to see in the pics). Lotta janky looking wiring, but nothing obvious to my eye.
Edited post since I see you've got power at the solenoid. Did you check if you have anything going to the fuse block? I would assume not since nothing is coming alive but worth a shot testing. Also, instead of using a test light, try a volt meter to see how much power you're getting, make sure your battery terminals are clean.
Quote from: dn010 on June 09, 2025, 02:30:49 PMThat wiring looks awful close to the exhaust, make sure it is not touching and shorted. While down there, put a volt meter on the solenoid connections and see if you're getting a reading. I'd probably test battery voltage and then clean the battery terminals first.
Wiring is actually a couple inches from the exhaust. I'm getting power at the terminal, and from each of the red wires attached to it as well. I cleaned the battery terminals first thing, so good there. Thanks!
You said 'and from each of the 3 red wires'. Where you checking those at?
One issue is I see is it appears as if the fusible link wires are gone so nothing is fused here. I say that because red isn't a standard color for fusible link wire.
You don't have a clear shot of it but what I can see of the yellow insulated lug at the starter with the red wires in it doesn't look that great plus that is just a 10awg lug and its in theory got 2 #10's and a #14 in it? Or are there 3 of those yellow lugs there? That raises a bunch of workmanship questions right there plus the rest we can see plus the apparent fact that they just happily bypassed all the protection.
That red wire through the firewall is for sure a sign of hacking by someone that didn't want to take the time to actually figure out how things worked and what the problem was. One of the 2 #10 red wires that goes through that connector goes to the ignition switch and splits into 2 #12 reds that then go to the back of the switch, looks like side by side.
Can you find that bulkhead connector? Looks like its probably rectangle and about 10 pins. I would want to find and inspect that to see if maybe that is where the original problem was at some point that caused someone to add that other wire. IF everything looks alright there I would start inspecting the harness back to the starter and decide if and how much of it can be saved. With no fuses its possible, maybe even likely that its been overheated and damaged.
For sure I would be replacing the fusible link wires down at the starter. If there is good regular wire past that to that bulkhead connector then splice on but if things look rough there I would be considering new wire all the way to the bulkhead connector.
Under the dash I would get rid of that extra wire that is spliced on and put things back to stock style which may mean replacing the wire and connector in the bulkhead all the way to the ignition switch.
Amazing how that Bubba guy gets around!
Anyone got a 67 manual and can confirm what I was seeing for wire colors and gauges? It seems a little strange that the main 10 gauge wires have 16 link wires, more typical would be a 14 so that is one thing I would like to be verified out of an actual manual.
I had a similar issue woth a 60 CDV. Have you checked out your battety cables? Mine was corroded internally, underneath the outer covering. Replacing it solved the problem. Just a thought.
Quote from: TJ Hopland on June 09, 2025, 06:23:41 PMAnyone got a 67 manual and can confirm what I was seeing for wire colors and gauges? It seems a little strange that the main 10 gauge wires have 16 link wires, more typical would be a 14 so that is one thing I would like to be verified out of an actual manual.
I don't have the actual manual that you need, but I have found by working on many GM brands is that the engineers tended to use the same colour coding across the range of wiring looms.
I used a 1972 GM Wiring diagram to sort out a 1974 Holden Statesman (Australian) wiring issue, and the colour coding was almost exactly the same. Where things do suddenly alter is in the late model vehicles that use relays to switch everything, allowing the switching wiring to be really thin, and lots more of it.
Bruce. >:D
Quote from: TJ Hopland on June 09, 2025, 06:23:41 PMAnyone got a 67 manual and can confirm what I was seeing for wire colors and gauges? It seems a little strange that the main 10 gauge wires have 16 link wires, more typical would be a 14 so that is one thing I would like to be verified out of an actual manual.
Yes, I have the manual, and your information is correct (16 link wires). And all the colors and other wire sizes are as you said in your previous message.
Not sure if you saw my message since I edited it before you posted to the original message, but have you used a volt meter on the battery, solenoid and check the voltage at the fuse box? I know you said you're using a test light, but those can light up with low voltage.
Quote from: dn010 on June 10, 2025, 09:05:09 AMNot sure if you saw my message since I edited it before you posted to the original message, but have you used a volt meter on the battery, solenoid and check the voltage at the fuse box? I know you said you're using a test light, but those can light up with low voltage.
Yes, I did see your suggestion. Thanks. My voltmeter is acting up. Need to borrow one to do the checks you recommend. My neighbor has one, so hopefully I can do it today.
For this sort of thing a old school incandescent (non LED) test light is a better tool than a volt meter. A volt meter either old analog or digital doesn't really put any load on things so you can easily get fooled into thinking you have power somewhere because you get a decent voltage reading but as soon as you try to put a load on (run something) you get nothing. If you can do the checks with the load on its a better test but with as many issues as there is in this case you can't always be sure what you are testing is actually 'on'. A test light isn't much load but its higher than a meter would be. Also in this case we are not suspecting a low voltage we are pretty sure we got no voltage.
Good to know at least one diagram online was correct, ya sometimes don't know when you find something online. Did you find that bulkhead connector? Maybe its tucked under the brake booster? I don't think that is where your current problem is but I do wonder if maybe the original problem that caused that red bypass spliced on wire to be installed.
Is there any electrical stuff on this car that isn't stock that you know of other than some of these red wires we just learned about?
If you search for Packard 56, GM 56, Delphi 56 you should get plenty of hits for the terminals pins that are likely what is used in on that bulkhead and ignition connectors so its actually pretty easy to just replace any wires that have been hacked or damaged rather than adding another splice into the mix.
Joe
I don't know if someone has mentioned this above, but the short harness from the starter can be unplugged and you can directly check continuity of the wires. If that harness is the same as the 68-72 Eldo it is still available
Greg Surfas
Quote from: "Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364 on June 10, 2025, 10:57:38 AMJoe
I don't know if someone has mentioned this above, but the short harness from the starter can be unplugged and you can directly check continuity of the wires. If that harness is the same as the 68-72 Eldo it is still available
Greg Surfas
Thanks, Greg. I did notice that there was a plug, and I'd thought about taking the harness out to inspect. Good idea. I'll have a look at that later today.
Quote from: TJ Hopland on June 10, 2025, 09:27:04 AMFor this sort of thing a old school incandescent (non LED) test light is a better tool than a volt meter. A volt meter either old analog or digital doesn't really put any load on things so you can easily get fooled into thinking you have power somewhere because you get a decent voltage reading but as soon as you try to put a load on (run something) you get nothing. If you can do the checks with the load on its a better test but with as many issues as there is in this case you can't always be sure what you are testing is actually 'on'. A test light isn't much load but its higher than a meter would be. Also in this case we are not suspecting a low voltage we are pretty sure we got no voltage.
Good to know at least one diagram online was correct, ya sometimes don't know when you find something online. Did you find that bulkhead connector? Maybe its tucked under the brake booster? I don't think that is where your current problem is but I do wonder if maybe the original problem that caused that red bypass spliced on wire to be installed.
No, I haven't found the bulkhead connector. But, I think I need to look for it from below the engine, and I'll do that later today.
Is there any electrical stuff on this car that isn't stock that you know of other than some of these red wires we just learned about?
As far as I know there is nothing non standard except a Custom Autosound stereo unit. I had to play around with the headlight switch to get the headlight doors to work (success) some time ago. I did notice a green wire in search of a connector to mate with near the fuse block before the current issue. Still not sure where that belongs.
If you search for Packard 56, GM 56, Delphi 56 you should get plenty of hits for the terminals pins that are likely what is used in on that bulkhead and ignition connectors so its actually pretty easy to just replace any wires that have been hacked or damaged rather than adding another splice into the mix.
Thanks, I'll have a look !
With Bubba having been there, you never know. But what has me thinking is that everything went. I can see if 1 of Bubba's "Improvements" failed, but all 3 at once makes me think it is a main power problem. Just as TJ says, it is like a tree.
Just for grins, try this-- Take a set of jumper cables. Go from the positive battery straight to the main starter lug. Then go from the negative battery to the engine somewhere and see what happens.
The intent here is to totally bypass the car's own battery cables. It will only take a couple of minutes and may save some troubshooting time.
Is it an inline connector or bulkhead? The manual bits I found didn't give a location but based on what appeared to be going through it it kinda seemed like a bulkhead connector. Some of the underhood stuff didn't go through it like I would have expected it to if it was just inline.
I know my 73 had a 6 pin connector (with only 5 used) inline for that starter harness. No idea when they started using that but I do know they got rid of it likely due to issues there as they aged.
If there is a 68-72 starter harness available and its not stupid expensive it may be a reasonable option even if its not an exact plug in. The wire and terminals are not that expensive and readily available but its gonna take a bit of skill and time to build it all up especially since you don't really have an original to copy to get all the lengths right.
I just found another diagram online and it shows what I think is the series 60? car as having that 6 pin connector in just the starter part of the harness. There is also another connector that I presume is the bulkhead one. Did the series 60 get a redesign earlier than the rest of the cars? Maybe 68 they all got that starter connector that went through at least 73? Maybe the Eldo also being a new slightly odd car got that connector too in 67? Diagram says 693 car and google told me that was the series 60. Or was it the Eldo?
Quote from: Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373 on June 10, 2025, 11:23:36 AMJust for grins, try this-- Take a set of jumper cables. Go from the positive battery straight to the main starter lug. Then go from the negative battery to the engine somewhere and see what happens.
The intent here is to totally bypass the car's own battery cables. It will only take a couple of minutes and may save some troubshooting time.
I'll try it. Just to be clear, the "negative battery to the engine somewhere" is just for a ground? Thanks for the suggestion.
Jeff
All you have to do to verify the main battery cables is to check ( with a voltmeter) for 12 volts at the large electrical lug on the starter
Greg surfas
Quote from: "Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364 on June 10, 2025, 04:17:00 PMJeff
All you have to do to verify the main battery cables is to check ( with a voltmeter) for 12 volts at the large electrical lug on the starter
Greg surfas
Yes, but respectfully-
If the main cable has multiple broken strands or corroded, it may still show 12v on a voltmeter, but not allow enough umph to go thru it to power anything.
My 1st car was a Bug. It had one of those braided ground straps. Everything would shut down when I tried to start it (radio, etc) but would work ok if it wasn't trying to pull current. Noticed the ground was really hot. Replaced it, and all worked well.
A voltmeter test would not have shown that.
It won't hurt anything, and will only take a couple minutes, to bypass the car's cables with jumper cables.
Can't hurt.
So, a little update. Been tied up with family matters, but did take the harness that goes from the plug on the passenger inner fender to the solenoid off. It looks like somebody used a harness from a different car. It was far too long and had been rolled up and zip tied under the water control valve. I tested the wires and they all had connectivity. Then I ordered three fusible links (one 18g, two 16g) that should have been there. I'll clean the plug connections, cut the excess wire lengths out of the harness and attach the fusible links and put everything back together. But, I'm wondering if this will make any difference. It would seem that if there were good connections, the problem may lie elsewhere. Thanks, Joe
Joe,
You're correct in your assumption that the "rat's nest" of wires without the fusible links is a good thing to correct, but I also agree with your concern that you may not solve the initial problem
I suggest that you take Jeff's advice. High impedance digital voltmeters can often provide unreliable results, and the ground and/ or positive battery cables may look fine from the outside but be "hiding" almost entirely corroded wire inside. If this does not yield results, I also suggest that you unscrew the key switch and check the large cable connections at the switch. Hope you get your car going soon. James
Where does that red wire through the firewall that spliced under the dash go on the under hood side? I would be focused on that and figuring out why it was done. Was it to try and bypass a failure? Possibly at the bulkhead connector? Was it because of some added equipment that may or may not still be in place? Maybe something was removed and that 'live' wire is just flopping around somewhere?
Back in Sept 2009, I made a post about what happened to my 68 Coupe deVille.
I had only just recently purchased the car. I was coming home from the Friday night Bob's Big Boy cruise-in when my car suddenly died just like yours, with one exception: it was on fire!
When the car died, so did the engine, power steering, power brakes, lights, everything! I was able to muscle it over to the curb without incident and coast to a stop. I could already smell the smoke and knew it was electrical in nature (nothing else smells quite like old-car insulation burning!) Popped open the hood, and down by the starter there was fire.
Luckily I ALWAYS have a fire extinguisher in any car I ever drive. New, used, classic, doesn't matter. I was able to put out the fire in about 3 seconds.
At the time, I had AAA tow it to a repair facility and the mechanic there fixed it the next day. The wiring near the starter had come loose from a broken zip tie the previous owner's mechanic had professionally installed (!) and the wires hit the hot exhaust manifold and really made a mess. The mechanic said I was lucky I got the fire out so fast and it only created minimal damage!
So, the moral of the story is...ALWAYS have a fully-charged fire extinguisher in the car where you can grab it immediately...like on the floor of the back seat.
You are getting TONS of great info here on how to diagnose and fix your issue, as did I when I posted my story, and anything I would say would just be repetitious.
Good luck with your Cadillac!
I had a similar issue with my '72 Eldo. I was mid-drive to the North of the State, and after pulling in to a stop for refreshments, I went to start the car, and smoke came out from under the hood.
I immediately popped the hood, and reefed onto the Battery Negative clamp which came off the post, and looked straight down to the Starter area.
Turns out that the Chassis loom had become frayed at the wiring bracket that kept it clear of the Exhaust, and shorted out. The Fusible Link in the Chassis Loom had blown, resulting in no power to continue the burning. After it cooled down, the Exhaust, that is, a quick twist of the two ends of said fusible link, some electrical tape and a cable tie had me back on the road. (Second picture)
When I returned home, I rebuilt the wiring section, and presses the old bracket back into service, but this time, increased the protection.
I now recommend a quick release Battery Isolator in case it ever happens again. May not pass judging, but there should be allowances for things like these important items.
Bruce. >:D
You either have bad battery cables (they might look fine but are corroded internally) or a problem with the wires going to the starter.
With NO headlights, etc, I would suspect the battery cables first.
I have had this happen with my 1968 DVC a few times, a new pair of battery cables and / or starter wiring corrections have helped it.
Quote from: Steve W on June 20, 2025, 07:37:12 PMSo, the moral of the story is...ALWAYS have a fully-charged fire extinguisher in the car where you can grab it immediately...like on the floor of the back seat.
Yep! I once had a '56 Coupe de Ville go up in flames while driving. This horror story only ended after I spent all summer re-wiring the car and replacing damaged parts. Always, always travel with a fully charged fire extinguisher. Clay/Lexi