Okay I just got this 72 cutlass I bringing it up from its ashes literally, but I got a battery for it and when I hook up the cables deep in the engine it starts to burn off this brownish white smoke anyone know if its just I need a new cable or if its more serious.

 

Where there is smoke, there is heat that will eventually develop into fire. I would say that there is either a bad connection, or the battery cable is corroded, causing high resistance. The other thing can be that the starter might be bad. You don't say when the smoke occurs, so you leave us guessing. No matter what you do, don't leave the car unattended with the battery cables connected, until you establish what the problem is.

 

Sorry about that junkman but it only happens when I connect the battery but I did the same thing with a another battery 2days before and no smoke showed up.

 

Don't even leave it ATTENDED unless you're staring at it with a fire extinguisher (not a garden hose) in your hand.

Car fires move FAST, especially when there's heavy grease, and water will only spread a grease fire.

- Eric

 

The car doesn't know the difference between batteries. Why did you change batteries? If the old one was dead, then possibly there is a short that cause it to discharge. Are you certain that you hooked the battery up correctly? Positive wire to the positive terminal, negative terminal to the negative wire? When you install a battery, there are circuits that are automatically energized in the car, such as the clock. I would be looking for a loose battery wire connection at the terminal on the starter solenoid. Then feel for heat to see what might be causing the smoke. Just be careful not to burn your hand.

 

I agree with what others stated and I would check all connections to the starter, alternator, etc. to make sure someone didn't wire things incorrectly. Bad wires, incorrectly hooked up wires could cause the problem you stated.

Where is the smoke coming from? Is it coming from the area where the starter is? If so, could be a stuck solenoid. Will the car turn over or did you not try because you saw smoke?

 

The battery I had b4 was just a loan so I could drive it to my house but the battery didn't have enough charge to start it up, but I made sure everything was in the right place + to + , - to - and I just felt the cable and its warm I'm just gonna get another cable thanks for the help.

 

Old skl the smoke is coming from the starter, and I didn't try to start it up because of the smoke I was just gonna buy a new cable and try it from there what you think about that?

 

When you hooked up the battery, and it started to smoke, did you disconnect the battery and then reach down there to feel if any one wire, starter solenoid, etc. was warm?

It would seem to me that if it was smoking by only hooking up the battery, there must be an incorrectly hooked up wire, exposed power wire grounding, or a stuck solenoid. I would either try to do what I mentioned in the above paragraph or check/remove the starter for issues.

 

I am thinking that if the old battery was too week to start the car, but the solenoid had energized the starter, and the starter drive is stuck / jammed in the flywheel, then the starter would smoke when you put power to it. See if you can loosen the starter bolds a couple of turns, and then give it a light rap with a hammer on the bottom of the starter. This will dislodge the starter drive if it is jammed in the ring gear.
The reason for this is that if the solenoid engaged the starter drive into the ring gear, then the copper disk inside the solenoid will be touching the inside terminals that connect to the battery cable and the starter will be trying to turn, but can't. Hope that this explanation is clear to you. Sometimes it is easier to say something than it is to put it into words on paper.
Then re-tighten the starter bolts, and hook up the battery again. Feel the cable, and it should not be warm. If no smoke, then try the starter and see what happens. If the starter is good, it should crank. If the starter is burned, it will not turn over the engine. If you just get a clicking, but no cranking, that would be a bad solenoid, a weak battery, or a bad connection. Battery cables will corrode under the rubber covering, and even if they look good, there will be high resistance in the wiring.

 

hello. I am new to the post and really enjoy all the commentary. I have a 72 Convertible that had the same issue. I found that the cable to the solenoid had corroded and must have caused too much resistance. It got so hot it melted battery terminal end. Purchased new battery cables and problem was corrected. Good Luck.