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sparks from alternator and white smoke from starter :(

9K views 54 replies 10 participants last post by  PCPete 
#1 ·
so, i was hooking up the wiring under the hood… with plans to start my car for the first time with the new engine when i hit trouble.

double checking the wiring (after connecting my battery) i noticed the nut on the post on back of the alternator was a little loose.

i slid a small wrench behind it and tightened it, and the second i did i got a ton of sparks from that post and then a puff of white smoke from (i think) my dang brand new performance mini starter.

what happened?!

i could have sworn my wiring was correct, and i've got fresh batt cables and fresh clean grounds.

im pissed and confused!
 
#2 ·
So you must have grounded out the alt, which also is connected directly to the starter. Did you not remove the power wires from the battery first? :no:

Besides always removing battery cables before almost any repair. you need to check your alt and starter before hooking new cables back up. Take them to an auto parts store and have them tested, It could have been that the alternator was grounded internally through the post. But most likely the wrench did that.
 
#7 ·
Oh....not good

I hate doing anything around the alternator post. chances are you didn't do anything to the starter itself because the solenoid would be the only part grounded and depending on how long the sparks went on it may not be hurt either. That's the beauty of fusable links. I'm thinking the white smoke was from the wire insulation - not that I've EVER had that experience, oh, yeah, the '59 Corvette. It burned wires all the time.
Have both units checked out. BTW, you can buy the electrical components, like the diodes at NAPA and the install pretty easily. Instructions are all over YouTube.
 
#16 ·
You should have 12 volts to your horn relay. Your horn relay helps complete a 12 volt circuit for your charging system. If I unhook mine I get nothing at all when I turn the key. Check to see if the 12 volt hot wire to your horn relay is hot. If not trace that wire back and you should find your problem. Keep everyone informed.
 
#15 ·
There mite be more fuse link back down at the starter. Disconnect the battery again and inspect all fuse links. Sometimes the wire inside the fuse links burn and leave the insulation, so pull on all of them to see if they are open. A good wiring diagram will show you where all the fuse links are, if the wiring is factory.
I believe you trouble is open fuse link under the hood supplying power to the inside of your ride. Gary
 
#19 ·
Your positive cable off your battery should be supplying your starter with 12 volts automatically as the positive cable should run from your battery to your starter. Sounds like you have an issue with the start signal from the ignition switch wire. Hold on here I am going to post a picture of the wire you will need to check.
 
#24 ·
This wire has to be shorted somewhere before the solenoid. Hopefully the wire shorted before the ignition switch and not on one of the diodes on the ignition switch itself. If you can track this wire back and find the short and then replace it and actually start receiving a reading on your volt meter on this wire you should be able to start it. If you cannot trace it back you might need to pull your ignition switch and check from there. Hopefully not but the only way to access this beyond what you can see is to pull the ignition switch and then you would have access to just run a complete new wire from your ignition switch to your S terminal on your solenoid.
 
#25 ·
the other thing im thinking is that my powerglide isnt actually in gear. i disconnected it from the gear selecter when i swapped engines and now im worried it isnt functioning correctly… it might be stuck and causing the nuetral safety switch to prevent current to the starter?
 
#29 ·
Please do not disable your neutral safety switch. They put the word safety in there for a reason. The factory switch is on the bottom of the steering column. If you installed a floor shifter, which you likely had to do with a PG it should have provisions to install a NSS on it. Take the time to do it.

The horn relay is the main power distribution point on that car. If you have power there, and power to the distributor with the key in the run position, the likely cause of the problem as stated before is the NSS.

Steve
 
#26 ·
Well if it is in gear it is better it's not turning over. See if you can get the tranny in neutral and then try starting again. If still nothing it has to be the activate wire from your ignition to your S terminal on your solenoid. I hope the best for you and I will check back again tomorrow to see your progress.
 
#27 ·
reconnect the tranny switch

Do you have power in the purple wire at the back of the ignition switch? If so, the next stop is the neutral safety switch. The neutral safety switch needs to be connected or a jumper wire within the connector so the power. Otherwise, no power in the purple wire at the starter.
 
#28 ·
Do you have power in the purple wire at the back of the ignition switch? If so, the next stop is the neutral safety switch. The neutral safety switch needs to be connected or a jumper wire within the connector so the power. Otherwise, no power in the purple wire at the starter.

Agree if you have power at the purple wire coming off the back of the ignition switch when your key is engaged you will know it is either the neutral safety switch or a shorted wire further down to your starter. "Probably neutral safety switch" First thing is to check if you are getting voltage to the purple wire or diode out of your ignition switch when the key is engaged - must also check the 12 volts hot to the ignition switch standard! You know it has to be one of these issues now.
 
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