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I'm almost done with my 79 Vette and I was out buttoning up some final stuff for a first start in around 3 years. I hooked the battery up and before I even started to crank on it it started smoking on the pos side of the alternator and down by the starter. All that changed is I hooked up the distributor wires I found unhooked, could these be the cause of the smoke? Also the starter no longer turns the car over, maybe the battery low? It's the proper one, any ideas?
(Solved) All I did was buy a new starter and had the burt wire in the harness replaced by a buddy at work. The new starter turns good and seems to be engaging with ease NO SMOKE INCLUDED (Thank God). Took that battery out and having it recharged currently. Also moving on to the distributor chasing spark now, changed a corroded and burnt up ignition coil and cleaned contact points AND got rid of the 8 dirt dobber nests under the cap and relay. (For anyone wondering, yes I know she's ugly right now and not in a garage. But I have challenged myself to get this girl running where she lay for years. At any point in this journey I could have had her trailered home had I wanted to but this is what I find "fun" I guess. This is the starter hot wire that melted
Last edited by Josh grant; 04-08-2024 at 08:00 AM.
Reason: (conclusion)
You let the smoke out of the wires! Oh NO! It's a real bugger getting the smoke back in!
Seriously, you have a dead short! Smoke down by the starter is likely one of your fusible links burning up.
Perhaps you have a dead short at the alternator? Perhaps the smoke was from near by?
At any rate. Get out your ohm meter and start testing.
Don't hook up that battery again until the fusible link or links have been replaced. And you have found that short.
I'm almost done with my 79 Vette and I was out buttoning up some final stuff for a first start in around 3 years. I hooked the battery up and before I even started to crank on it it started smoking on the pos side of the alternator and down by the starter. All that changed is I hooked up the distributor wires I found unhooked, could these be the cause of the smoke? Also the starter no longer turns the car over, maybe the battery low? It's the proper one, any ideas?
this is going to be awesome running again!!!
post as much as you want and details with pics helps many..help you..close ups of wiring around starter etc.. would help..
Looks like a brand new ALT.
On those alternators where the red POS hooks up is a or should be an insulating washer. In the event the wire touched the ALT case, then you have a short.
The post on the back of the ALT is positive but the ALT itself is NEG, hence the reason for the spacer / washer.
Similar, is when people use that ALT POS stud to hook-up a timing light. Never let the light's alligator clip touch, stud to washer to nut to casing at the same time.
You let the smoke out of the wires! Oh NO! It's a real bugger getting the smoke back in!
Seriously, you have a dead short! Smoke down by the starter is likely one of your fusible links burning up.
Perhaps you have a dead short at the alternator? Perhaps the smoke was from near by?
At any rate. Get out your ohm meter and start testing.
Don't hook up that battery again until the fusible link or links have been replaced. And you have found that short.
(UPDATE) I had the wiring harness tested and both fusible links are good but it burn a good sized chunk out of one of my pos wires to the starter, starter is burn up as well and I'm worried about buying another one and putting it in and it shorts again if the starter going out wasn't the case. I had a buddy at work solder a new wire in its place, now Im getting a new starter and gonna check the wires at the alt to be sure I'm not grounding out anywhere up there.
Sounds like a good place to start. I have tryed looking at that main power wire on the back of your alternator. It's missing the rubber boot, which won't hurt anything for now. But the pic's you posted just are not clear enough to see if that terminal is touching the housing or if the insulator is missing.
Well you had a dead short somewhere, maybe the starter itself. Ohm meter would be your best friend here. Once you figure this out then you can worry about getting a good carb and toss that POS Edelbrock.
Easy killer! I not a fan of that carb myself. But looking at the overall condition of his engine bay. He may have more important issues to work through first.
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(UPDATE) I had the wiring harness tested and both fusible links are good but it burn a good sized chunk out of one of my pos wires to the starter, starter is burn up as well and I'm worried about buying another one and putting it in and it shorts again if the starter going out wasn't the case. I had a buddy at work solder a new wire in its place, now Im getting a new starter and gonna check the wires at the alt to be sure I'm not grounding out anywhere up there.
IMO you are reading the fusible links as good, only because they are tied together by the 3/8" eyelet...
The wire(s) that are burnt in half is your fusible link(s).
The fusible links are labeled A & B.
Although it is not clear to me what one is fried but my money is on fusible link A. That would be to the alternator.
Fusible link B is direct to your headlight switch...
What type and size wire did your buddy at work solder in?
The correct fusible link wire is 1.0mm or 16 gauge.
Here is snippet from a 79 line diagram of what you are holding in your hand...
03-24-2024, 09:23 PM
Smoke at the alternator and starter area.
