Smoking ground wire

Redog · March 11th, 2008, 10:53 AM

Interseting problem, never heard or seen this before.

I was putting in my new alternator and I noticed a ground wire was melted a bit. I taped it up thinking maybe it got wet with all the rain we've had here over the past few days.

Put in the new alt and took it for a drive. Got home and felt the wires to the alt (put in a 120 amp replacing the 100 amp) and they were not hot but the ground wire started smoking up again.

This isn't the wire that goes from the battery to the block. This one went from the battery to the body/fender. I'm thinking this was the 307's Alternator ground wire, but I still don't understand why it was smoking

Any ideas?

texasred · March 11th, 2008, 11:05 AM

Check ALL your grounds for good connection (no paint underneath) and hidden corrosion (puffy insulation). Especially the battery ground and block to chassis ground. It's smoking because it's grounding everything through there and that's a lotta amps!

And replace that smoking wire.
C.J.

Redog · March 11th, 2008, 11:37 AM

OK it was grounded the the fender and the fender has paint on it

March 11th, 2008, 10:53 AM	#1 (permalink)
Redog Alero Chapter Secretary Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Newtown, PA Posts: 1,145	Smoking ground wire Interseting problem, never heard or seen this before. I was putting in my new alternator and I noticed a ground wire was melted a bit. I taped it up thinking maybe it got wet with all the rain we've had here over the past few days. Put in the new alt and took it for a drive. Got home and felt the wires to the alt (put in a 120 amp replacing the 100 amp) and they were not hot but the ground wire started smoking up again. This isn't the wire that goes from the battery to the block. This one went from the battery to the body/fender. I'm thinking this was the 307's Alternator ground wire, but I still don't understand why it was smoking Any ideas? __________________ Me 2000 Alero running 14's 2005 Nissan Altima (her's) 1967 Olds 330 motor sitting on a stand 1985 Delta 88 w/1968 350 rocket ( MURDERED )

March 11th, 2008, 11:05 AM	#2 (permalink)
texasred Tom Servo's Stunt Double Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 824	Check ALL your grounds for good connection (no paint underneath) and hidden corrosion (puffy insulation). Especially the battery ground and block to chassis ground. It's smoking because it's grounding everything through there and that's a lotta amps! And replace that smoking wire. C.J. __________________ Dad said, "Sometimes you read Job...sometimes you ARE Job!"

March 11th, 2008, 11:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
Redog Alero Chapter Secretary Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Newtown, PA Posts: 1,145	OK it was grounded the the fender and the fender has paint on it __________________ Me 2000 Alero running 14's 2005 Nissan Altima (her's) 1967 Olds 330 motor sitting on a stand 1985 Delta 88 w/1968 350 rocket ( MURDERED )

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