Bullshark
Well-known member
On the way home from Benefit Car show for fallen police officer Saturday, RamJet's charging system shot craps. The amp meter started reading negative amps and burnt smell came from engine compartment. I quickly pulled over at the nearest bar to assess the situation. No impending fire danger so we went in for a few beers :mobeer: before tackling our alternatives. My brain works better when not stressed.
Turns out the brown-white striped resistor wire from terminal #1 on the alternator to the firewall connector via ignition switch, melted and fused in the front engine harness. Multiple wire insulators melted.
Wondering what the root cause might have been???
Couple of weeks earlier my old battery went totally dead......my fault, left the ignition key on. :bonkers: Not even a starter solenoid click. I jumped the car, and limped home hoping it would charge. Turns out it was toast so bought a new battery. Things seemed to work fine after that....till Saturday.
1) Did I over heat the brown/ white wire when trying to charge the old battery, melting and causing a pending short. Didn't think GM would design a system that would allow that???
2) More likely did the regulator shoot craps shorting terminal #1 to ground?
Have to check that out next spring. Going to Florida for winter!:bounce:
So, how best to fix?? Probably need a new alternator, but which one to get??
If I stick with 3-wire, I plan to fix harness and run a new brown white copper wire with a 10 ohm 6 watt, power resistor in series to power field winding. Has anyone done this?
Appreciate any additional thoughts
Alternator schematic for reference.
Turns out the brown-white striped resistor wire from terminal #1 on the alternator to the firewall connector via ignition switch, melted and fused in the front engine harness. Multiple wire insulators melted.
Wondering what the root cause might have been???
Couple of weeks earlier my old battery went totally dead......my fault, left the ignition key on. :bonkers: Not even a starter solenoid click. I jumped the car, and limped home hoping it would charge. Turns out it was toast so bought a new battery. Things seemed to work fine after that....till Saturday.
1) Did I over heat the brown/ white wire when trying to charge the old battery, melting and causing a pending short. Didn't think GM would design a system that would allow that???
2) More likely did the regulator shoot craps shorting terminal #1 to ground?
Have to check that out next spring. Going to Florida for winter!:bounce:
So, how best to fix?? Probably need a new alternator, but which one to get??
If I stick with 3-wire, I plan to fix harness and run a new brown white copper wire with a 10 ohm 6 watt, power resistor in series to power field winding. Has anyone done this?
Appreciate any additional thoughts
Alternator schematic for reference.
