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Electrical problem

mjfoster49

mjfoster49

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Nov 5, 2003
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Tifton, Georgia
I was taking off my alternator, and I undid the ground wire on the bracket and I walked away for a few seconds, and I heard something so I came back and the ground wire was touching the hot wire on the alternator. Now the only thing that works is the headlights. I cant find any burned wires. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do.
 
I might check the ignition switch, or how about the fuse box itself, you could have blown a whole bunch of fuses...

I'm sure you know now, but just in case you don't, the manuels say to remove the battery cables prior to such a job, for just such a reason....hehe..
Hope you get it worked out....
 
Yea I know to disconnect the battery, but I was in a hurry and didnt think about it. I dont have any blown fuses in the fuse box.
 
so it looks like the power going to the ignition switch comes from the block on the firewall. I checked all of those wires and they all have 12 volts.
 
If it still has the factory link on it, it will be about the size of those mini tootsie rolls. Use a test light and see if there is power getting through the link. Sometimes the harness with hte link is hard to get to (running down the heatshield tube being the passenger side cylinder head) but you can usually find it. If there is power on the battery side but no power on the starter side you know the link is bad. If it has no "tootsie roll" thing in the harness, someone has replaced it before with fusible link wire. You can tell if that is burnt mearly by gently pulling on the wire. If it feels stretchy, it is bad. If it feels like a regular wire and does not stretch, it is okay. Your wiring diagram in the Haynes and Chilton manuals will show the link near the starter. Good luck and good hunting.
 
I forgot to mention this, but when I got back to the truck I saw smoke coming up from the back of the motor. That is where I looked at the wiring harness the most, but I couldnt find anything.
 
send me a PM and i will post my ph number. you can call and i will walk you through a few things. you will need a test light...
 
Yes...Those fuse links protect the battery from just the thing that you experienced...simulated shorted alternator. I hate where GM put the stupid things down there on the starter and its no big deal to relocate them up to the fender well just behind the battery. If you still have headlights, sounds like you only smoked one of em. If ignition switch was off when you did this stunt, it shoud be fine.
 
more than 1 fusible link...

There is usually 2 fusible links at the starter,and another one at the junction block near the brake booster on the firewall...some GM's have another made into the thick red wire that bolts to the back of the altenator too(the one his ground cable touched by the sound of it!)..but its likely one of the fusible links at the starter or the one on the firewall that fried..the one in the altenator wire would only stop it from charging it that one burnt..:crazy:
 
there is 2 wires that hook to one side of the solenoid and one that hooks to the other. is the other one supposed to have power all the time. I looked at a wiring diagram and it says that wire is 3 ppl 6. I checked all the other wires and they have power, but this one dosent.
 
mmm..

The purple wire that goes to the small post on the solenoid closest tothe engine is the one that tells the solenoid to crank when you turn the key to "start"..it will only have 12V while the key is held on "start"..so that sounds normal..

Its the 2 thick red wires that bolt behind the positive battery cable at the solenoid that have the fuseible links in them..they might merge into one red wire,but there should be 2 fusible links about 6" from the solenoid,uo behind the block..they look like small firecrackers,and have a plastic waxy look to them..sometimes they LOOK perfect,even though they are burnt inside..:crazy:
 
I got it running. it was the fuseable link at the block by the master cylinder. Why I was taking my alternator off was because I was getting ready to change my cam. I got that finished and got the truck started, but it is running rough. I turned the distributor 180* but all it did is backfire through the carb so I turned it back and it runs, but kind of rough. Is there anything else that I could have messed up when I shorted out the wire that would cause it to run rough? Also I checked all my plug wires and they are on right.
 
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