"Steve B." wrote:


I'm 99.9% certain it's a broken earth strap. You can usually check easily with a
heavy duty jump lead placed between some good (unpainted) contacts points on the
engine block and car chassis, re-making the connection, unless it's further back
the chain right at the battery (but unlikely).

Graham

When you hook up the battery backwards (the OP did) it doesn't cause
the "earth strap" to break.

I didn't say it did.

The OP says it failed to re-satrt long before he fitted the replacement battery.

Did you even bother to read the post properly ?

Graham


It burns out the fusible links or blows
fuses and maybe even cooks some electronic components.

Never cooked any for me, but it was just a brief touch. Wouldn't have given the
alternator diodes too long to live.

Graham