Q: Battery grounded power wire - 1980 Chevrolet C30
I bought a used truck that sat in a driveway for a year, and I am trying to get all of the problems solved. My spark plugs became fouled after driving it today, and I bought a new cap, rotor and wires. I am going to tune it up so it runs much better with new spark plugs of course. I flooded the engine when trying to start the truck. I also melted the power wire going from the battery to the starter.
After putting in a brand new battery and ground wire the other day the truck cranked real slow like the battery was weak. I didn’t touch the power cable. The starter looked very new because it’s still shiny. The negative battery wire was grounded on the alternator bracket by the previous owner. Should the battery be grounded on the chassis? What caused the power wire to melt? What is causing the motor to crank over weak?
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Your first starting effort probably created enough heat within the starter motor to melt the windings, shorting them. This just causes more power to be directed to an already hot starter motor. Kills the starter. Take it out and have it checked. It’s OK to ground to the engine (via the alternator bracket), but you also have to have an adequate ground connection between the engine and chassis for electrical gauge sensors, ignition, etc. If you would like, a certified technician from YourMechanic can explore these issues at your home or office, including the possible replacement of your starter.
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