Alternator shorted out?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,071
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Alternator shorted out?
Alright here's what I've got so far. Drove a bit last night, everything ran fine as usual. I replaced my ignition module earlier that day as I figured the one in there was about to die since my tach was acting funny. (did that once before) Replaced it and the tach acted even funnier, but it seemed to have some more power back and the tach was fine over 2000 rpm.
Anyways, went out to the car this morning and stuck the key in and turned it. Absolutely NOTHING, not a click, nothing. Dome light, guages, nothing. I did my sorta bubba battery test and hooked the jumper cables up to it and touched the ends together real quick and there was no spark. So I figured the battery died, maybe left my parking lights on all night or something, but usually that doesn't completely kill the battery... So I get someone to jump me and hook the jumper cables up to their battery. Soon as they crank their car up, smoke comes out of my alternator.
Unhooked them and are now going wtf?
Any ideas?
Anyways, went out to the car this morning and stuck the key in and turned it. Absolutely NOTHING, not a click, nothing. Dome light, guages, nothing. I did my sorta bubba battery test and hooked the jumper cables up to it and touched the ends together real quick and there was no spark. So I figured the battery died, maybe left my parking lights on all night or something, but usually that doesn't completely kill the battery... So I get someone to jump me and hook the jumper cables up to their battery. Soon as they crank their car up, smoke comes out of my alternator.
Unhooked them and are now going wtf?Any ideas?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,071
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Ya know I'm wondering if I mighta crossed the jumper cables... Would that make my guages act funny when I put the key in the ignition? 
All of the temp and pressure guages went to the right when I put the key in and turned it to power... I've a bad feeling I mighta did that... The cables also got really freakin hot...
Oh and the alternator has a lifetime warranty and is less than a year old... ain't too worried about replacing that.
All of the temp and pressure guages went to the right when I put the key in and turned it to power... I've a bad feeling I mighta did that... The cables also got really freakin hot...Oh and the alternator has a lifetime warranty and is less than a year old... ain't too worried about replacing that.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,752
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
Not so bad on a C-3.....I had a C-5 in the shop a few years ago that a friend (of the 'Vette owner) helped jump off. He used a 24 volt jump charger. Wiped out every electronic circuit. Was a $3,500+ boo- boo. 
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,752
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
On your C-3?...Maybe the radio if it was turned on at the time you tried to start it up, and the alternator. The drain on your battery will need to be investigated after you get it running again. Could be interior lights, horn/alarm problem, stuck brake light switch...etc.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,071
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Well the radio only turns on if the ignition is switched to on.
Here's what gets me. I've left the parking lights on ALL night before, and the battery didn't drain dead like this morning.
Here's what gets me. I've left the parking lights on ALL night before, and the battery didn't drain dead like this morning.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,071
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Little update. Got home and jump started it. Started up and ran fine. Took the battery to autozone to get it tested and charged. Tested fine.
So tomorrow I'll let Top Flight take a look to see if the alternator may be drawing when off or if there's a short somewhere. Everything seems to be working fine, though. I have a feeling it probably the alternator drawing, but we'll see when the test light is hooked up to it
Once I get my motorcycle accident money here, really soon, I'll be ordering up my stuff to install TPI and redo my door locks.
So tomorrow I'll let Top Flight take a look to see if the alternator may be drawing when off or if there's a short somewhere. Everything seems to be working fine, though. I have a feeling it probably the alternator drawing, but we'll see when the test light is hooked up to it
Once I get my motorcycle accident money here, really soon, I'll be ordering up my stuff to install TPI and redo my door locks.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,071
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Aha! So it's my damn headlight/parking light switch!!
So I went outside last night and saw my parking lights on! Turns out that switch has like a hair trigger and sometimes just turns the lights on. So I went in and tapped the switch a little and they turned off. Getting it fixed up so it won't do that any more.
I knew it seemed odd that there would suddenly be a short, considering my wiring is actually in pretty good condition.
So I went outside last night and saw my parking lights on! Turns out that switch has like a hair trigger and sometimes just turns the lights on. So I went in and tapped the switch a little and they turned off. Getting it fixed up so it won't do that any more.
I knew it seemed odd that there would suddenly be a short, considering my wiring is actually in pretty good condition.