Did something dumb - electrical question
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,752
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Did something dumb - electrical question
Well my head install is officially done. I spent a LOT of time making sure everything was back in its proper place and I wasn't forgetting anything. Well, the moment of truth had finally arrived late this afternoon. Sweaty handed with anticipation I grabbed my keys and got behind the wheel.
Reconnected battery and put key in on position. Power. So far so good. I turn the key. The starter gets power and the alternator goes up in smoke. Apparently one of the wires wasn't fully seated and it hit the housing. :( :( :( Dumb dumb dumb.
Anyway, I hope its just the voltage regulator and will crack it open tomorrow and verify/fix.
I reconnected the wire properly (dumb dumb dumb!!) and reconnected battery again and no power when key is in on position. Is this still the alternator? It was suggested to me that maybe I blew the fusible link? I looked thru my AIM and didn't see any mention of a fusible link. Only thing I could find is a "Dist & Switch Asm" coming off fuse panel. (btw, fuses all looked good).
Any other ideas?
thanks in advance. I really wanna drive her to work on Monday. Hopefully I can!!!
-terry
Reconnected battery and put key in on position. Power. So far so good. I turn the key. The starter gets power and the alternator goes up in smoke. Apparently one of the wires wasn't fully seated and it hit the housing. :( :( :( Dumb dumb dumb.
Anyway, I hope its just the voltage regulator and will crack it open tomorrow and verify/fix.
I reconnected the wire properly (dumb dumb dumb!!) and reconnected battery again and no power when key is in on position. Is this still the alternator? It was suggested to me that maybe I blew the fusible link? I looked thru my AIM and didn't see any mention of a fusible link. Only thing I could find is a "Dist & Switch Asm" coming off fuse panel. (btw, fuses all looked good).
Any other ideas?
thanks in advance. I really wanna drive her to work on Monday. Hopefully I can!!!
-terry
Abby Normal
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 53,379
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From: Press "2" for English
Re: Did something dumb - electrical question (terryrudy)
terry, trust me, your not the only one out there who has done dumb, dumb, dumb things! if you have no power at the key now, i think the fusable link would be the next thing to check. funny how the manuals don't pay alot of attention to those things. considering how your hot wire from the alternator goes to the starter post to feed the battery, fusable link would seem most likely. just crawl under the passenger side and look up and most likely you'll see the burnt and shrivled ends of what used to be your fusable link. good thing is they can be replaced from virtually any parts store, although it won't look original (if that is a concern). the rule of thumb when replacing a fusable link is you want to put on one that is two sizes smaller (two numerically even digits higher) than the wire to which your connecting. so a size 10awg wire would take a size 14awg fusable link. let us know if that is the problem.
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 85
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From: MHT N.H.
Re: Did something dumb - electrical question (clutchdust)
Terry-on my car there is a fuseable link on the starter wire close to the starter. If that one is not burnt there is another one on the left side of the firewall under the power brake booster. That one is a real bear to get to. Good Luck! :) John
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,721
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From: Canada
Re: Did something dumb - electrical question (82dukman)
Had to replace the link by the starter last weekend, ended up cutting the burnt link off and running a wire from that one to the coil so I could have power again.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,752
Likes: 1
Re: Did something dumb - electrical question (gdh)
An update. We got the problem solved. Chris (71roadster) swung by and helped me track down the problem (he did most of the work!) ;)
Anyway, turns out the fusible link was fine! There is a junction connector next to the fusible link that had one connector partially set in. Since it was not properly seated in, it became the 'fusible link' and burnt through. So $0.99 later, got a new connector and we fired her up!!
She runs!!!!!! Head install was successful! No leaks at the heads, the intake, or the carb. I can't believe I actually got it all right!
Still need to rebuild the alternator though. Got the parts and will do that monday night hopefully. Then some valves need adjusting. And then I'm hitting the road and will make the dyno day on SAturday! Woohoo!!!
thanks guys for all the suggestions. I used them to test my starter fusible link (which of course is fine) and my fender-area fusible link which was fine. Many htanks to Chris. If he hadn't helped me, I'd probably still be tracking the problem for the next couple weeks!
-terry
Anyway, turns out the fusible link was fine! There is a junction connector next to the fusible link that had one connector partially set in. Since it was not properly seated in, it became the 'fusible link' and burnt through. So $0.99 later, got a new connector and we fired her up!!
She runs!!!!!! Head install was successful! No leaks at the heads, the intake, or the carb. I can't believe I actually got it all right!
Still need to rebuild the alternator though. Got the parts and will do that monday night hopefully. Then some valves need adjusting. And then I'm hitting the road and will make the dyno day on SAturday! Woohoo!!!
thanks guys for all the suggestions. I used them to test my starter fusible link (which of course is fine) and my fender-area fusible link which was fine. Many htanks to Chris. If he hadn't helped me, I'd probably still be tracking the problem for the next couple weeks!
-terry
