Battery ground melted. Help.
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Battery ground melted. Help.
I just bought this car a month ago to use as a DD until I could afford to get another car and make this one my project, the wiring is a mess and I could tell it had a bad ground some where.
Found it. So I replaced the battery and was replacing the ground wire from the battery as well, it turns out he was also using the battery ground wire as the ground for the fan, which I thought might be part of the problem, so I grounded that to the body, and tried to replace the battery ground cable, but where it's grounded to the motor there's a 15MM bolt, which apparently none of the auto part stores around me have a ground cable that will work, how was this thing grounded originally and does anyone have any ideas on how a ground wire could've gotten hot enough to melt the battery like that?
Any help is appreciated.
Found it. So I replaced the battery and was replacing the ground wire from the battery as well, it turns out he was also using the battery ground wire as the ground for the fan, which I thought might be part of the problem, so I grounded that to the body, and tried to replace the battery ground cable, but where it's grounded to the motor there's a 15MM bolt, which apparently none of the auto part stores around me have a ground cable that will work, how was this thing grounded originally and does anyone have any ideas on how a ground wire could've gotten hot enough to melt the battery like that?
Any help is appreciated.
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Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Mooresville NC
Car: LOWERED ♦ CRIMSON METALFLAKE
Engine: ► 400 KUBES ◄
Transmission: 765R4
Axle/Gears: EATON POSI 4.56
Get The Lead Out !
The ground wire didn’t get hot enuff, however the connection at the battery ground terminal did.
Lead melts about 620° or even lower if it’s impure.
That temperature was generated at the terminal because it was the point of highest resistance, possibly exacerbated VIA a loose or dirty connection, and a steel bolt holding the cable to it.
You can get lugs for 15mm bolts at electrical supply houses.
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I Didn’t Wreck, The Track Moved
.
Lead melts about 620° or even lower if it’s impure.
That temperature was generated at the terminal because it was the point of highest resistance, possibly exacerbated VIA a loose or dirty connection, and a steel bolt holding the cable to it.
You can get lugs for 15mm bolts at electrical supply houses.
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Happy Racing!
◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙
I Didn’t Wreck, The Track Moved
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Sep 2010
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Re: Battery ground melted. Help.
I moved the ground off the block to the alternator on saturday, it started up just fine immediately, but the battery gauge was in the red, it started up 4 times after that just fine, but the battery stayed in the red.
Then it would turn over, stop and turn over again, eventually it stopped. I thought the alternator stopped working when i grounded the battery to it, so i moved the ground and eventually it started up after about a minute of trying to start it.
which had me worried because the battery obviously wasn't dead, so i drove it home, turned it off then tried to start it again and it just clicked. i tried to jump it and it didn't do anything. Does anyone have any ideas on what could be wrong?
My only guess is the starter or the flywheel missing teeth, but that isn't related to the original problem, so I'm not sure.
Then it would turn over, stop and turn over again, eventually it stopped. I thought the alternator stopped working when i grounded the battery to it, so i moved the ground and eventually it started up after about a minute of trying to start it.
which had me worried because the battery obviously wasn't dead, so i drove it home, turned it off then tried to start it again and it just clicked. i tried to jump it and it didn't do anything. Does anyone have any ideas on what could be wrong?
My only guess is the starter or the flywheel missing teeth, but that isn't related to the original problem, so I'm not sure.
Supreme Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,341
Likes: 12
From: Mooresville NC
Car: LOWERED ♦ CRIMSON METALFLAKE
Engine: ► 400 KUBES ◄
Transmission: 765R4
Axle/Gears: EATON POSI 4.56
I’m Not A Dentist But……….
OK if you hear the whirr of the starter motor, then you know it’s not just a battery problem, check under there for missing teeth or the pinion failing to engage the flywheel.
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I Hit The Water Barrels Because My Car Was Dirty
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I Hit The Water Barrels Because My Car Was Dirty
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,337
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From: Aurora, OR
Car: 87 IROC Z28
Engine: 355 cid TPI
Transmission: Custom Built 700R4 w/3,500 stall
Axle/Gears: QP fab 9" 3.70 Truetrac
Re: I’m Not A Dentist But……….
The OP says the starter "clicks". That doesn't sound like missing flywheel teeth. More like either a bad starter or solenoid, or a poor connection between the battery and starter. Since you've been having trouble with the neg batt cable, I would start by checking your work.
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From: GO PACK GO
Car: 83Z28 HO
Engine: Magnacharged Dart Little M 408
Transmission: G Force 5 speed
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" w/Detroit Trutrac
Re: Battery ground melted. Help.
That's pretty bad...the only time I had that happen to me was due to a dead short. The insulation rubbed off the positive cable between the batt. and the starter and was grounding itself on the inner fenderwell. My small ground cable was actuallt glowing in the dark - after it burned off all the insulation. It was like an arc welder....
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