View single post by mcguan.2
 Posted: 02-18-2008 03:59 am
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mcguan.2

 

Joined: 12-13-2007
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 OK, so I hooked up my rebuilt alternator on my '76 GT and then went to hook up the battery.  I hooked up the negative first and then the positive.  Once the positive was securely on the terminal, I had a complete Lucas-style electrical meltdown, complete with smoke and glowing red wires.  What the hell happened?  Anyone?

I got the alternator on ebay, rebuilt.  It had two larger spades stamped + and -, and the previous owner (of the GT) was kind enough to label one of the cables with red tape, so I'm pretty sure I had positive to positive and negative to negative. There were two other wires, but one was bent back and taped against the bundle, so I was pretty sure I wouldn't need it.  The remaining wire with a smaller spade I hooked to the "ind" spot, presumably for indicator lights.  So, all in all, everything on that end seemed to be hunky-dory. 

But, as I said, as soon as the positive cable was on the terminal, I had fourth of july fireworks.  I fried all the wiring from the alternator to just past the battery (but not all the way to the harness connector coming out of the distributor).  So, two questions, what happened and how hard is it going to be for me to rebuild all that wiring and catch the mistake so that it doesn't happen again?