alright what did I screw up???

[x182dan]

I am finishing up my 331 in the 95. I went and turned it over today. It was getting fuel but not spark and wouldn't fire. The only thing I could think of that wasn't hooked up was my alternator harness. So I hooked that up. As soon as I rehooked up the battery I got smoke coming from the distribution box where the wire from the alternator goes to. Any idea what I f'ed up?

 

[1quk50]

is your battery located in the trunk? b/c when my uncle got his car done we had that problem some how rolling it around and hauling it to and from dyno the red cable got grounded on the frame... and it sorted out.

 

[x182dan]

is your battery located in the trunk? b/c when my uncle got his car done we had that problem some how rolling it around and hauling it to and from dyno the red cable got grounded on the frame... and it sorted out.

everything is stock minus the 175amp alternator

 

[Paul]

Distribution box? Got a picture?

 

[x182dan]

Distribution box? Got a picture?

Heres the only picture I could find, its of a v6 stang but its the same part. You slide the little cover up and thats where the alternator wire goes onto the stud

 

[Paul]

Well it looks like you've got a short there then. Re-check everything going to the power terminal on the side of the box to make sure you don't have any improper grounds.

 

[x182dan]

Well it looks like you've got a short there then. Re-check everything going to the power terminal on the side of the box to make sure you don't have any improper grounds.

so basically you think I grounded something that isn't supposed to be? As far as the alternator harness goes I attached the two plugs on the back of the alternator. Then on the other side of the harness near the box there were also two plugs that I attached.

 

[CC'S95GT]

follow the pos cable (all of them) and make sure none of them goes to the body or engine block sounds like a direct short

 

[x182dan]

follow the pos cable (all of them) and make sure none of them goes to the body or engine block sounds like a direct short

that is what I was thinking but I don't understand why it was only noticeable after I installed the alternator harness. The only reason I could think is that I didn't have the positive cable tight on the dist. box and it wasn't making a good connection until I tightened it down with the alternator wire.

 

[CC'S95GT]

could be did you see any melted insulation? if that was all (a loose conntction) your prob good then

 

[x182dan]

could be did you see any melted insulation? if that was all (a loose conntction) your prob good then

nothing was melted where the smoke was coming from. I don't really know what I could have done. I have all my grounds hooked up but even if I missed a ground that shouldn't happen. I am going to check things out tonight.

 

[CC'S95GT]

it could have been loose connection arching. did you get the smell of burnt insulation or something else

 

[x182dan]

it could have been loose connection arching. did you get the smell of burnt insulation or something else

It did smell pretty bad. I did notice that when I was putting the battery cable on the battery I was getting more sparks on the terminal than normal. What connection could have been loose? The alternator wire was tight on the both ends. The only things that were not tightened down were teh battery terminals.

 

[CC'S95GT]

idk i'd say just to go over all your wiring again and look for loose connectors. but it sounds like something is backwards somewhere

 

[ryclef331]

check the starter wire...are you just you didn't ground that?

 

[x182dan]

When I attached the alternator wire on back of the alternator I somehow managed to tighten it down resting on a piece of the housing also causing the ground.

 

[ryclef331]

When I attached the alternator wire on back of the alternator I somehow managed to tighten it down resting on a piece of the housing also causing the ground.

that will do it! glad you got it figured out.

 

[CC'S95GT]

good job glad it wasn't something expensive