I'm having trouble getting my car running. The fuel pump was dead so I replaced it, and before replacing it the car would crank and try to start. After replacing the fuel pump it won't crank at all.

The car will turn on and if I push the clutch in and turn the key to start it clicks once and loses all electrical power. If this happens I have to disconnect and reconnect the battery for the car to have power when the key is in the on position. If I don't push the clutch in however, it won't lose power but won't crank or click.

I did disconnect the clutch safety switch and was able to push the clutch in and turn the key to start without it dying, but it wouldn't crank or click in that situation.

It's also blowing the trunk/engine lid fuse when the battery gets reconnected after replacing the fuse. The speedometer is also all the way around, pegged constantly. The coolant temp gauge goes crazy when the key is in the start position and the oil pressure gauge pegs when the car is turned on.

Using this big list of problems what should I be checking?

Sounds like a poor connection. Are both battery cables tight?

Take both battery cables off. Wire brush the cable surface and the battery surfaces. Reassemble and start it up.

How do you know the fuel pump was dead? Does the new one run when you turn the key to run?

I really don't think it's the battery connections but I'll clean them up and see if that helps.

I know the fuel pump was dead because it didn't prime and now that I have a new one in there it does prime.

What happens is the surface of the connectors corrodes. The corroded connections don't conduct electricity. But a little surface does connect, although at a somewhat higher resistance. Bolt the battery corroded cables to the battery and it seems like everything is fine. Open the door, turn the key on and everything is fine. Turn the key to engage the starter and the high current of the starter burns the small portion of the surfaces that are connecting. You hear a pop and everything goes dead. You scratch your butt, wonder what happened and eventually disconnect and reconnect the battery, only to have it do it again.

Clean the surfaces with a wire brush, bolt them together and now you have enough to crank the engine.

This doesn't solve your fuse problem, but that is a different issue. idk on the coolant and tach but see what happens when you get it to start.

btw, yeah this has happened to me.

[This message has been edited by phonedawgz (edited 07-07-2013).]

Ahh ok that makes sense now. I'll go get a wire brush and try it. I had a look at them and they look pretty good but there did appear to be some burn marks on the positive cable. It'd be great if the fix was this simple.

quote btw, yeah this has happened to me.

Yeah me too....but I suspected right off that it was the battery cause I had been having some slow cranking issues......I got my meter out and checked the battery terminals...0 volts....so I pulled the Battery cables so I could replace the battery ...then was struck by the thought to check the inside the screw holes for the battery with the cables off....12 volts! At that point I looked at the cables and the mating surfaces ...totally corroded ....took a dremmel with wire brush attachment to the mating surfaces on the battery and the cables ...hooked it back up and the car started immediately with a nice brisk cranking.

Glad to hear you got it figured out.