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65 underhood wiring

L

LUCKY13

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I just replaced the wiring harness on my 65 under the hood. After replacement, I connected my battery and bumped the engine over. Everything looked ok. I then replaced the battery because it was three years old and a little weak. When I reconnected the cables to the new battery, I noticed a spark between the cable and the terminal (indicates voltage pull on battery). The next second, I saw smoke from my new alternator red wire. I disconnected the battery immediately. I did some checking and saw the ignition switch was in the "on" position. I'm kind of lost on this. I have the factory wiring diagram and I took plenty of time to install it correctly. I also installed a new voltage regulator, capacitor and regulator ground strap as well as a new alternator. So, with the old battery, I was ok, no smoke. With the new battery, I melted the insulation on the red wire to the alternator. Does anyone have a place I should troubleshoot this? I know the ignition switch should not have been "on" but that should not have caused the problem.
 
Short

Sounds like a dead short in the wiring, alt, or starter. You will have to trace each line one at a time with a test light. Is it possible that the red line off the alt was somehow grounded on a bracket or was the rubber boot missing? One thing you should do, is add a fusible link at the main line going to the starter. You can pick up a 14 ga. fusible link at NAPA for about $4. The link will blow before you cook your wiring. GM put them in vettes starting in 67. I added one in my 66. Cheap insurance. Jerry
 
.....I saw smoke from my new alternator red wire. .....

Did you ask whomever you bought your new alternator from to check it before your installed it? Might have an internal short in it.

Geek
 
Good luck with tracking down the short. Here's a GREAT website and one hell of a knowledgeable guy about our era of electronics. I tend to buy all my electrical supplies from him -> http://www.madelectrical.com
 
I got my problems solved. I also installed a fusable link in the harness to protect my new wiring. GM began using these in 67. I bought a very neat little breaker assembly that mounts on the firewall and sets between the positive battery cable and the starter. If a short happens, this device trips and prevents any possible electrical damage from happening. It's resettable with one flip of a switch (no fuses to replace). It's not stock but it sure is sensible.
 
Tampa jerry is talking about the 10 or 12 gage red wire that feeds all the in car electrcal it bolts to the battery terminal at the starter and this should also have a fuse or link put in the link should be 14 gage like stated in his post Steve
 
I installed two of them, a fusable link in the harness to the starter and the resettable breaker in the positive battery cable.
 

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