Ok, so the Alternator in my 1991 Z28 305TPI with a T-5 5-speed tranny went out. So I replaced it, no biggy. I got everything put together. Hooked the connector up, put the red battery wire onto the stud on the back of the alternator where it says BAT and hooked the battery back up. All was fine and dandy. I drove the car around to check it out and I was getting right about 13-15volts. Cool, well I spelled something funky so I pulled into the garage popped the hood and the electrical tape on the BAT connector was melting. The wire itself wasn't melting but extremely hot. The alternator also felt pretty hot. Now I had the tape on there because when I turned my core in I forgot to take the nut off. So I put tape on there and was going to drive it to work and get a nut there.

Now, my question is does this normally get pretty hot? It is pretty close to the valve covers, not too far from the exhaust manifold and it is a power wire. I checked the wire and it doesn't seem to be grounding out anywhere. The wire isn't burnt or anything. Like I said the tape itself mounted and the alternator felt pretty hot. Hot enough I couldn't put my hand on it after about 10 minutes of driving (hard driving)

 

SO the wire want bolted down? Theres your problem. The reduces contact surface area without the bolt made for higher resistance, which heated up the connector. As the temp went up, the tape melted and the wire lost even more contact area as it moved, and the problem got worse. Was the wire only hot at the end where it connected to the alternator or was it hot over the enire length.?

 

Just as the end. Thanks for the reply I talked to a friend on the phone and he told me the same thing. Makes sense I just never even though about it. Thanks for the reply. I'll get it taken care of first thing in the morning.