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

[CJHenderson]

Installed a new voltage regulator, had momentary lights and did hear a click when I attempted to start and went dead again. I'm rechecking all my grounds.

[roymil]

Your last post with description of the classic solenoid “click” sound with failure to crank sounds like classic bad battery symptom...or bad battery ground cable connection.  Don't forget the engine ground braid connection to the body through which the starter current flows...but unlikely if you haven't messed with it lately.  Mine was heavily corroded and my starter worked stronger after cleaning and tightening....but again, not as likely.

I know you said the battery was new and see comments where you have measured "12V" before, but do check that it is closer to 12.6 volts which is where I'd expect a brand new, fully charged battery to be with ignition and lights off.   If its measuring only 12.3 or less at its main terminals, either it isn't fully charged, it has an internal defect, or there is some thing drawing a fair bit of current that shouldn’t be there with everything turned off. 

It’s not that unusual to have a brand new battery that measures good voltage at the store, without a load but then just cant supply much current due to high internal resistance/defect.   Another thing to check is to watch the voltage at fuse #1 while you are trying to crank the engine.   It should droop somewhat below 12V while in the crank position but certainly not drop to zero.  If it does drop very low then you must have a bad battery or cabling from the battery.  You eliminated the starter as a suspect.

The voltage regulator, good or bad, shouldnt have had any effect on starter function.  Although it could possibly have an internal short that drains the battery, but seems unlikely.

Sorry if you've been over some of this, just really curious about this issue and wish you luck!