Ground on battery Positive Wire
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Ground on battery Positive Wire
So here's my new challenge on my 76 Corvette that has apparently a 69 350 engine in it.
The car started perfectly every time I tried it. Yesterday battery was dead. Went to charge battery and its pooched. So went to put in a new battery and got a huge spark when putting on the positive wire. So I tested the positive wire and found out I have a 'ground' to the positive wire. Traced wire back to starter and its perfect, no short. However on the solenoid which is mounted on the starter where the "main battery" wire is connected there are 2 small wires that come off that are on the same post as the main battery wire. There is s short in those 2 wires somewhere. On my car, the 2 wires are joined together, (one black and one red), I cut each wire and discovered they both have a ground on them too. Where do these 2 wires from the Solenoid go?
I have a service manual but can't find anything. Any help would be appreciated!
Andre
The car started perfectly every time I tried it. Yesterday battery was dead. Went to charge battery and its pooched. So went to put in a new battery and got a huge spark when putting on the positive wire. So I tested the positive wire and found out I have a 'ground' to the positive wire. Traced wire back to starter and its perfect, no short. However on the solenoid which is mounted on the starter where the "main battery" wire is connected there are 2 small wires that come off that are on the same post as the main battery wire. There is s short in those 2 wires somewhere. On my car, the 2 wires are joined together, (one black and one red), I cut each wire and discovered they both have a ground on them too. Where do these 2 wires from the Solenoid go?
I have a service manual but can't find anything. Any help would be appreciated!
Andre
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,741
Likes: 2,583
How exactly are you determining you have a ground on the positive?
A ground on the positive would either melt a wire, blow a fuse, or blow a fusible link.
You are supposed to connect the positive wire first than the negative.
At the very least you have the door open when replacing the battery, a clock, and possibly a aftermarket radio, all drawing power.
A ground on the positive would either melt a wire, blow a fuse, or blow a fusible link.
You are supposed to connect the positive wire first than the negative.
At the very least you have the door open when replacing the battery, a clock, and possibly a aftermarket radio, all drawing power.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,232
Likes: 1,232
From: PHX AZ
Are you using 'Continuity' to test for ground? As others have said....you can have 'continutity' to ground THROUGH 'appliances' bulbs and etc. You may be testing the wrong leg of the circuit.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,741
Likes: 2,583
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,741
Likes: 2,583
you may now really have a problem with your alternator if the diodes blew from the reversed cable's
