Total loss of electrical power.

[CJHenderson]

Turned the ignition key to start, heard a loud pop and have no electrical power at all. All the fuses checked good and found no burnt wiring, battery is new, and voltage checks good, checked ground wires and grounding strap, that all checked. The popping sound came from the right rear side of the engine compartment.   

[roymil]

I believe the main feed wire upstream of the fuse block and ignition ties in at a terminal block on the lower right side of the engine next to where the main battery cable routes around to the starter .  The starter solenoid wire routes in a harness under the intake manifold .  You might start there to make sure something in that bundle hasn't melted due to a short someplace.  If it happened quickly you might have heard it fuse open and arc.  Either way it's worth measuring the resistance from that terminal block back to the main input of the fuse block.  Should be small fraction of 1 ohm.   

[Cees Klumper]

Right rear side of engine compartment is where the starter lives, I recommend you closely inspect it as that is also where the main + cable goes straight from the battery if I'm not mistaken. Maybe the solenoid attached to the starter 'blew'.

[CJHenderson]

Did an ohm check on the solenoid and had no reading, at this point I'm going to order another starter.

[roymil]

no question that an open reading across the solenoid means you need a new one, however that wouldn't explain how you lost all power to everything.   Seems you would have to also have a bad or disconnected wire between the battery and the fuse box.  Maybe the solenoid failed and simultaneously fused open a wire?

[Pawel66]

It puzzled me as well...

If/when solenoid failed, there might have been surge in current - burnt something on the connector plate on engine? Burnt the connector on lights switch? Fried ignition switch?

Curious - if you read voltage on battery - where does it stop showing voltage?

[CJHenderson]

I pick up the new starter this afternoon and install it then work backwards; I did an ohm check on the positive battery cable that checked good. If no power, then it will mean pulling all the dash instruments out to trace for what other damage happened.

[rwmastel]

All the fuses checked good and found no burnt wiring, battery is new, and voltage checks good, checked ground wires and grounding strap, that all checked.

Curious - if you read voltage on battery - where does it stop showing voltage?

Pawell,
Some of your question was answered in the original post.  But more detail on where the positive current no longer flows would be helpful.  Is there positive current at the tested fuses?  The ignition switch?  Where else should it be found downstream from the main fuses?

[CJHenderson]

The battery has 12VDC, I won't be able to do anything until I receive and install the starter and install the wiring for it.

[CJHenderson]

Installed rebuilt starter with no luck. I'm going to take the starter back and have them put it on the tester. If that checks good, then I have to start removing all of the gauges from the dash and pull both light switch and ignition switch.

[Pawel66]

Pawell,
  But more detail on where the positive current no longer flows would be helpful.  Is there positive current at the tested fuses?  The ignition switch?  Where else should it be found downstream from the main fuses?

That is exactly what I was after, I was not precise enough though...

[Pawel66]

Installed rebuilt starter with no luck. I'm going to take the starter back and have them put it on the tester. If that checks good, then I have to start removing all of the gauges from the dash and pull both light switch and ignition switch.

Since light switch is easier, I would start with it - if the 12V is there.

1. Voltage on battery vs. ground on body and engine
2. Voltage on connector plate on engine vs. ground on body and ground on engine
3. Voltage on light switch vs. as above
4. Voltage on fuse 1

Or reverse order. If I am right, you will pin point if the fault is ignition switch without removing it.

[waltklatt]

Hmm, check the negative cable mount to body.  Is it clean, corrosion free?
Any lights working at all?
Walter

[CJHenderson]

Battery cables are in good condition

[waltklatt]

Connections from battery cables to body?  Cables can be good, but contacts to body and other can be bad.
Any of the lights coming on?  Dash, headlights, etc....
Walter