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Shorted chevy pickup


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Kevinhuff54
Novice

Sep 28, 2018, 8:00 PM

Post #1 of 11 (1311 views)
Shorted chevy pickup Sign In

I replaced my starter and wire doing to my battery. I failed to properly tighten my starter. When tightening it the wire shorted into the hot exaust pipe. It wont start now. Im going to have the starter and battery tested. Is there any thing else i should be testing. Is there a computer i could have fryed? I have a 1990 chevy k1500 with a 350 5.7 liter v8 4speed with overdrive manual.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Sep 28, 2018, 11:18 PM

Post #2 of 11 (1299 views)
Re: Shorted chevy pickup Sign In

Slow down presumably Kevin? Is this to say you just left the starter dangling or something and it's hot wire to battery shorted to grounded metal? That for any reason is your first problem it would fry right there the connection is to solenoid sure wouldn't like the heat nor much else.
IDK: You can watch a starter work on a bench or in a vice on your own I'd be looking to see it solenoid throws the starter drive when empowered if you get no reaction now and think you have wires new or back to good with it in place.
No batter want to drain with a dead short like that it too suspect from now on if nothing works and it drained to "flat" or dead should be disconnected while working on starter at the battery. Now when did you notice it fry when hooked up or first attempt to start it?


T



Kevinhuff54
Novice

Sep 29, 2018, 3:56 AM

Post #3 of 11 (1277 views)
Re: Shorted chevy pickup Sign In

I originally replaced the starter and battery lead to starter. I started and drove about a mile. Upon arriving back home i turned my truck off . And to make sure it was all good i tryed to start again. The starter had became lose and was freewheeling. Upon tightening the starter bolts the main wire hit the exhaust pipe melting the casing and shorting out for a couple seconds before i got the battery disconnected.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Sep 29, 2018, 4:22 AM

Post #4 of 11 (1271 views)
Re: Shorted chevy pickup Sign In

Surprised it started the first time? Yes it would have 'ground' from just hanging there possibly enough but the small gear that is thrown at the large gear surprised that didn't object, miss the first time or screech at you? So be that.
Stuff happens now it's what to do. Back out with that starter IMO for a close check. Wire (lead) may still be OK or not or doesn't take long heat wrecked the end where the wires attach such that "trigger wire" the smaller one there is junk now?
About a universal suggestion is take the battery 'negative' cable off first and when all done with what you are doing it goes on LAST. Reason: Mostly so your tools do not make the short to metal in area tightening that back up the POS. cable would - understand that for cleaning or any reason.
The "trigger" wire just look at with starter out for now.
You can test the starter with decent jumper cables and your battery or another not installed and a small jumper wire with alligator clip ends. Fasten starter it will jump around or mount it in a vice. Neg to body of it out of the way and positive to stud where cable would go. Now jump from jumper positive to the stud for trigger wire watch if the "starter drive gear" gets thrown outwards as if to make contact with the large gear on transmission call it the flywheel if you wish just the test and watch it retract when you let go.


That might be stuck and will not allow current to starter unless it can throw outwards now from heat or damage? That is part of what the solenoid does on top of starters like it are spring loaded to be OFF and retracted.


Many are a total pest to do on vehicle and see what's going on your call would like to see plain damage rules out. Dead shorts which this seems to be don't take long is full AMPS of battery power all at once the weak link will give out find it,


T



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 29, 2018, 4:25 AM

Post #5 of 11 (1271 views)
Re: Shorted chevy pickup Sign In

There should be multiple smaller wires connected to the large terminal of the starter. These would be special fuse wires called fusible links. Pull on each one to see if any of them stretch to indicate being burned out. If so, use only fuse wire to replace the burnt section.

On some models those links are up at the firewall.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Kevinhuff54
Novice

Sep 29, 2018, 4:38 AM

Post #6 of 11 (1263 views)
Re: Shorted chevy pickup Sign In


In Reply To
There should be multiple smaller wires connected to the large terminal of the starter. These would be special fuse wires called fusible links. Pull on each one to see if any of them stretch to indicate being burned out. If so, use only fuse wire to replace the burnt section.

On some models those links are up at the firewall.

The wire that shorted is the 4gage wire that runs directly from battery to start. Im getting ready to take the starter and battery to my local AutoZone to get it tested


Kevinhuff54
Novice

Sep 29, 2018, 4:40 AM

Post #7 of 11 (1259 views)
Re: Shorted chevy pickup Sign In

I belive both wires are still good. I think i cooked the solenoid maybe even the battery


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 29, 2018, 4:41 AM

Post #8 of 11 (1257 views)
Re: Shorted chevy pickup Sign In

That doesn't mean you don't also have a burnt out fusible link.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Sep 29, 2018, 5:03 AM

Post #9 of 11 (1253 views)
Re: Shorted chevy pickup Sign In

Lots possible for damage! Yes the "fusible link" wire(s) and even battery. Solenoid is where the wires connect the basic starter should be good not the point nobody does just solenoids anymore.
AYOR with an Autozone test IDK how they test things never deal with that do it myself. Hammer said the trick of pulling on those wires they are made to melt inside would stretch or look wrinkled.
Too late now try real hard not to let stuff like this happen there's more power in a silly vehicle battery than most realize the reason low gauge wire from battery is used to power starter the #1 load a vehicle's electrical should ever have,


T



Kevinhuff54
Novice

Sep 29, 2018, 4:59 PM

Post #10 of 11 (1231 views)
Re: Shorted chevy pickup Sign In

So i got my truck running. I had both tested the tested fine. So i ran a push button to engage my starter bypassing what ever wasnt allowing it to start using a wire with an in line fuse.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 29, 2018, 5:09 PM

Post #11 of 11 (1227 views)
Re: Shorted chevy pickup Sign In

That's an asinine way to Mickey Mouse the car.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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