randerson75

Here is my problem I rebuilt my 5.7l to a 383 stroker. (please be patient I am not the best with all the names and numbers) when I reinstalled it and got all my wiring hooked up I accidently hooked up a ground with the wire going to the alternator then I tried to fire it and melted 2 ground wires (one to the hood light and one to the other light under hood) when I found my screw up I fixed it now I think I have all my wires going where they are supposed to and now when I crank it over I get a very hot ground wire

Lurbie

iTrader: (3)

Can you be more specific on which ground wire is getting hot? Where does it connect and what size/gauge wire is it? Does it only get hot while cranking and cool off after the engine is running? How long are you cranking it?
Answers to these questions will help us help you.

randerson75

It is the ground strap that connects the engine to the frame. I have cleaned the frame and straps. It gets hot during cranking I have not been able to start the truck as I need to adjust my timing, when I found the hot ground I stopped cranking. I am cranking it to try and set my distributor, I almost had it running by adjusting my distributor but I cant get it to run

Lurbie

iTrader: (3)

There are a few possibilities.
You're cranking it too long in an attempt to start the engine. IIRC it shouldn't crank for longer than 15 seconds, then it gets a 60 second (at least) cool down.
Too small of a ground strap.
Too much current from starter. This could be caused by a couple of things, too much load on the starter (internal engine problem or something dragging in the accessory drive for example); or a bad starter motor. Assuming you're not overheating it by continually cranking, try taking a jumper cable straight from the negative post to the starter motor, this eliminates poor connections and insufficient wire gauge. You could also pull the belt off the engine temporarily to see if that helps.

randerson75

it never crossed my mind I was cranking to long but now that you mention it I probably am. thank you. is there a step by step instruction for setting up timing.

RBob

iTrader: (1)

The battery ground cable that goes from the battery minus to the engine block is missing or loose. The cranking current isn't supposed to go through the engine to frame ground strap.

RBob.

randerson75

Thank you I had it on the block and moved it to the frame I will move it back

randerson75

So here is another question after I have the number 1 cylinder at top dead center then I install the distributor how am I certain that the rotor is pointing the right direction is there a way to change it

Lurbie

iTrader: (3)

First off, (just to be sure) when you say #1 TDC, that has to be on the Compression stroke. Then, slightly place the rotor so that when the dist gear meshes with the cam gear, the rotor is under where the #1 plug wire will be on the cap. Ultimately, you can put that #1 wire on any of the cap **** so long as the rotor lines up with that when the #1 piston is at TDC compression stroke and the rest of your plug wires are in the correct firing order after that.