Well guys before I give up entirely and run this car through the delware river can someone please tell me what they think I f'ed up. To make a long story short the alternator wire grounded to the valve cover and made a nice little fire. (i'm an idiot and its all my fault i know ... first thing if anyone is making any repairs to they're engine ALWAYS take the ground off the battery. I say this because I am lucky the thing didn't explode.)

Alright guys the wire going to the alternator is pretty much history. What else do you think joined it in the trash pile. I have my alternator, 200$ starter i just put in, and brand new battery I just put in and of course all the wires. The battery is *** damn red hot. Anything else I should be worried about.

Damn, I wish I was a half way decent mechanic.

Matt

 

Fusible links...
Not sure what you were refering to ...
The battery should not be warm temp wise...

 

Well what I mean is the wire from teh battery that attached to the alternator came in contact with the valve cover. Well it basically welded itself right on and shorted out my battery which I'd imagine almost exploded. Thus caused a small fire where the wire insulation was burning. I didn't want to get near the battery because I heard of too many horror stories about them blowing up when grounded so i disconnected it about 3 minutes after it happened and the fire was out. What do you think I destroyed?
Please someone tell me just the wire! I'd even settle for the battery as well...

Matt

Thanks for any replies.

 

Put the battery on a charger and see if it will hold a charge. I hate to say it but you may have fried the computer as well, the best way to tell is to get a good battery in there and replace the wire that burned and check all the other wires for evidence of burning. Don't hook up the neg wire to the battery, just hold it on the terminal and see if anything smokes, if it does you can just pull the wire away from the battery. If nothing smokes, try jumping pins A & B together on the ALDL and see if you get a code 12. If you get a code 12, remove the jumper and try starting the car, when you get it running start checking out all of the electrical circuts, ie wipers, raido, etc.

Good luck.

 

Not to much should be harmed, remember current always flows though the path of least resistance, so The current went through the alt. wire through the valve cover into the block and strait back to the battery. The battery is more then likely toast and possibly the alt. but not too much else. Good luck and Be Careful!!.

 

Trace the wiring from the battery to the alternator, thats all I think would go.

I really doubt you fried the computer. You can be sure that the things you fried were smoking. If you saw smoke anywhere else, check there. The battery and alternator are probably fine as well, unless they burned or acid is spilling out.

 

Guys, good news. Thanks for your replies. I replaced the wire from the alternator to the battery and all is well. I got my water pump in in the process and the car starts fine. My battery still holds a charge somehow and I'm good to go. Thanks again

Matt