Positive ground wire at block started smoking
Good morning all, I have been searching the forum this morning looking to see if I could find anything that might help me with possible causes for my positive ground wire to get hot and start melting where it connects to the block. I put the car away for a few months and that time she turned over fine and no problem. I get her out to start finishing the things I needed to do and it would not spin at all...it did try to engage a couple of times but that was about it. Then the wire started smoking so I disconnected the battery. I have purchased a new starter solenoid for it and am going to install that and a new positive ground cable today. The only other changes is that I charged my optima battery, I have looked for a dead short but visibly everything looks good. I did find where I need to connect the battery to the starter and then put my meter between the positive post and the wire ... any other ideas?
Thank you all
Thank you all
0
Comments
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If you stored the car for a few months and when you tried to start it the motor failed to turn. Instead the wires got hot there is only two posibble reasons. A short in the starter or something keeping the starter from turning causing it to draw high amps.
The common cause that comes to mind for the starter not to turn is the engine has stuck during storage .
Roger0 -
I was afraid of that too so I put a large wrench on the crank bolt and I could turn it. Then I took the starter and solenoid to a shop and had them tested. one bolt on the solenoid was stripped badly so I bought a new one to replace it.0
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Not to be insulting , but it is possible to reverse charge a completely dead battery.
Check it with a voltmeter for polarity.
Also I would move the ground wire to a different location , and be sure the bolt is not bottomed out.
Check the mounting bolts on the starter to be sure it's not loose ,or binding.
While you have your voltmeter out check the voltage drop from battery connection to ground connection.
Just a few wild a** guesses from years in an electrical shop.
Roy0 -
Thank you Roy..any ideas are help...I have been tracing everything down and I still have nothing when I push the start button. I am no longer having a problem with the ground wire heating up but I have nothing at all no clicking ..no anything. I was looking for a schematic to help trace everything back but I have not removed anything but the starter and replaced the solenoid. I am sure I have the solenoid wired as it was but at this point of the game I am not that sure of anything...LOL Is there a schematic that would show me where each wire of the starting circuit goes..even the wires on the solenoid as now I am questioning myself there. And don't be worried about being insulting...I need to learn this anyway I can...and boy am I wanting to drive the car...I have only started it...then I had hip surgery so I have not been able to even look at it since January...but it started back then on a temp tank..now I have all of the stuff back from being cleaned and lined and have it all installed..and it won't so much as make a click...
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What is the year and model of your car . 6 or 8 . automatic or Overdrive.
Do your lights come on with the switch ?
Do your gen and oil lights come on with the Ignition switch ?
I believe there is a circuit breaker in the main feed wire somewhere , but without the year and model we can't help with a diagram
Roy0 -
HI Roy,
I have a 1946 Super Six Coupe, 3spd no overdrive, the lights come on, the gen and oil lights come on, the radio comes on (well static but it comes on) and the electric fuel pump works.0 -
Around 50 or 51 they changed the solenoid from one that needs the small contact grounde to energize to one that reqires 6 volts at the small terminal to energize. With everything off, hook a jumper between the large terminal that the battery cable goes to to the small terminal, if the starter cranks, you've got the wrong solenoid. You need one that's the same for 37(?) to 55 Fords.0
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Make sure your car is in neutral ,and the wheels blocked.
Disconnect the small wire at the solenoid for the starter and use a small jumper wire from that terminal to the large cable that is the battery feed to the solenoid. If the starter turns you have a problem from the starter button circuit out to the solenoid.
If it does not turn , use a test light to see if you have power on one side at all times ,than power on the side going to the starter side when you use the jumper.
This should narrow things down.
Roy0 -
Ok ..First Thanks again..... If I connect a jumper from the battery in on the solenoid to the small post on top I get nothing,
I used a tester and went from the engine ground to the battery in on the solenoid ad it was 6.3V
then from the engine ground to the small post and
then the engine ground the out to starter large post
and neither were hot.
I believe this is what you suggested0 -
well I have determined that the new solenoid is not working correctly but even more I found that I can turn the engine over by hand,,but,,,when it gets to a specific spot it stops. I may have been lucky I couldn't get the starter to spin the engine over because now I am thinking that when I installed the fuel pump I may not have gotten the arm where it should be, I am going to remove it again tomorrow and see what is going on there. I will search more on the site to see if there are anymore information on installing that dual pump..that is the only think I could think of that would cause the engine to stop turning like that, and that is something I have done since I had it started before.0
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When turning it by hand a realy stuck valve can feel like an immoveable object. Perhaps you have a bad cable? Have you tried using the jumper cables right on the starter to see if it spins the motor? Making your last ground connection on the block due to sparking, and make sure the mounting bolts on starter are tight.
Roger
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I suspect you have coolant in a cylinder ..or two. The engine should turn over completely with no restriction. Take all the plugs out and try spinning it over again and don't be surprised if you see a water fountain come outa a plug hole or two.0
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well I pulled the fuel pump and then I could turn the engine. I am suspecting i had installed the pump incorrectly as the arm was almost straight on it and I know it bent downward when i installed it. I then ran the line direct from the electric pump (to make sure gas didn't shoot out) I then jumped the starter from the in cable from battery to the in on the starter..it turn over..slowly but it did turn over. I could still not get anything when pushing the start button though. I was not sure if the fuel pump was any good or not but I guess I am going to be looking to order a new one. I am starting to think I may be better off just having it converted to 12V or finding a good mechanic here in central IA ... or both ...LOL You guys are the greatest!!!
Thank you for everything
Les0 -
Theres nothing wrong with a 6-volt system that is working right any more than a 12-volt system. If the motor has a problem the 12 volt starter is going to have issues too.
Just keep at it - sound like you are on the right track with a bent arm on your fuel pump. See if you can find a local club member to assist you up in Iowa,
Roger0 -
I agree with Roger. They were built to work on 6 volts. if you don't find the fault converting to 12v is only going to compound the problem.0
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I have been looking through the parts links here and in the WTN but where is the best place to order a new double fuel pump? I am also looking for the rubber O that goes in the rear fender hole where the fuel pipe comes out. I did find that at K-Gap but I can never seem to get a hold of them.
0 -
I think mr cooper in the WTN has the fuel pumps
Roger0 -
Well I sent off my old core today and ordered a new fuel pump. I have been inspecting all of the wires and I have found a few bare spots where the old covering is gone. I taped them up as I found them but I think I need to find a wiring diagram so i can start tracing them down and replace them if needed. At least for the starting circuit.0
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