My vette has suddenly decided to go crazy on me.

Start the car last night, headlights go on, but buckets don't flip.
Start to drive car and flick swith to check volts...shows 7.2 volts.
Drive home with no lights a mile up the road and car wanting to die.

Today take out the battery and alternator. Get new battery and take alternator to get checked. Alternator works fine, install both back on car.

Runs perfect, take up road to Autozone. They check at battery and alternator is charging fine on car when running. Suddenly heading home, ABS light comes on, then notice flickering of battery light...volts reading 12.5.

Get home, go to put fender back on...notice lights flicker...notice a connection (relay) that has a bunch of red wires behind battery...when move it, lights flicker underhood again. bracket is loose that connects it to car...tighten up think things are fixed.

Take off....ABS light comes on again...battery lightly flickers...read volts at 11.5.

Get down the road and turn lights on...buckets don't flip...get out wiggle around the connection behind battery...buckets flip...get some smoke from this connector...wires hot coming off the connecter.

So what is this thing...do they go bad...or is it likely something grounding out where I tightened the bracket to the car. Or other possible issues?

Thanks for the help!

 

Definetly sounds like a short of some kind. There are two inline fuses that come off that block as well, if you saw smoke, one of them might be gone/going. I had one go on me, took me a while to find it -- I'm OK when it comes to the mechanical things, not so hot when it comes to tracing electrical problems. Hopefully someone here will be able to tell you how to track down your short/problem, I found mine by trial and error -- not always a good way to do it, especially when it comes to electrical problems. Good Luck.

 

There is a bolt behind the battery where 8 red wires connect, one is from the positive battery terminal. This is the jump start post and the 7 other wires go to the alternator, the ignition switch, and a bunch of other places. If the nut holding down the 8 wires is not tight, then you will have sparks, heat, smoke, intermittent electrical problems, due to the resistance from a poor connection. Check the wires for a good solid connection by trying to move them, you should not be able to move any of the wires. Your voltmeter is telling you that the alternator is not charging the battery at times and you should see the red battery symbol light come on on the dash. Charge up your battery with a battery charger, do not use the alternator to charge the battery unless you want still another repair job.

 

I took all wires off, cleaned and restripped wires, placed new O connectors on all wires. I had to cut two or three wires about 5 inches because they were corroded from heat and water. Reconnected all wires tightly. I made a wire cover out of a tupperware cup. The drain for the windshield pours right on these wires. I also extended the drain hose to the bottom of the vehicle. Also check and clean your battery cables.

 

Thanks for the help. The jump start post looks pretty rusty. Probably would just replace it while I'm at it. Is that something I can still get at a dealer or something common I could pick up at an auto parts store. Also is there anything special about the type of new O connectors, or just pick some up that look similiar.

 

Those are called ring connectors and are specified in the size wire they will accept. You can buy ones that will accept the size wire and have a hole that fits the bolt they are on. You can also use a new bolt and nut/s to replace the original as it isn't special in any way. Stainless won't corrode.