Today, I changed the intake manifold gaskets on my '89 IROC. The new gasket kit came with rubber replacements on the front and rear of the block. Pretty cool if you ask me. Anyways... I took it all apart, replaced the gaskets, and put it all back together. I hooked up the battery thinking everything was good to go. Next, I tried to start the car. I had poor voltage so I checked out the battery and alternator. Duh! I didn't put the ground back on the alternator. I reached down to grab the wire and it touched the side of the alternator grounding it. The satellite wire on the positive terminal instantly turned red and started to smoke until it burned through...all of about 2 seconds. That was irritating, but I just jacked the one off my old Trans Am. I went under the IROC to take the connection off the starter and upon applying pressure to the nut, the whole housing on the solenoid fell apart. How the hell does that happen??? Anyways, could there be any more damage to anything since I'm an idiot that fries stuff, or should I be able to replace the solenoid and positive cable and everything's cool?

 

well the wire that goes to from the alternator to the back of the electronics, if that burned it "could have" fried another wire within that harness, leaving a electrical wire that could ground.

Chances are slim though I think. I hooked up a toggle and hooked it up wrong and it ran through the dash wires and the ground completely burned and it harmed nothing else. It even melted the toggle switch.

I'd give a quick check and apply some electrical tape so any wires u see that could ground itself on the block n create shorts.

 

The field wire isnt a ground, if it was grounded it could cause damage to other components. Replace the starter and run a new wire. It sould be ok.

 

i never said it was a ground, i said that if it grounded onto the block/other metal that it would ground itself n transfer current.

 

Ok, today I replaced the solenoid and positive battery wire. I adjusted the timing and she's running. The only thing is the temperature guage is absolutely pegged. I know that if the dark green wire leading to the guage sensor in the driver's side block is grounded it will peg the guage, but are there any other reasons it would do this? The guage is pegged even with the engine off and the key in the 'run' position. Any suggestions?

Edit: I can see where that green wire's insulation has melted, apparently from that short circuit. That wire runs which way to where? Does it run directly to the guage? Anyway, if anyone is interested, I'll post a before and after pic of the intake removal.

 

Before:

 

After:

 

You might want to see if the temp guage is 'pegged' physically. Of the two camaros i've owned, the temp guage loves to jump all the way up on start, and get itself wedged on the plastic or the metal sheild in the instrument cluster. I've gotten mine undone by banging on the cluster, hitting a hard bump, and eventually went in and sanded down the offending needle to give it some clearnece. Just an idea.

Good luck,

Joker

 

Yea, my temp guage tends to do that too.