Alternator wire melting

M

MegaCabRam

New member
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Messages
1,241
I've had almost everything on this truck tore apart so now I'm having to fight some bugs. The alternator and both batteries are new, I let the truck run for about 5 mins today and I noticed smoke coming up next to the air box, I shut the truck down as soon as I noticed it then I went back and figured out it was the alt wire. I cranked it back up and checked the voltage, it was steady at 14.5. I didn't let it run long since I was in a hurry but it didn't start smoking again... Any ideas? There is some corrosion on the end of the wire, coud it be corroded internally causing the heat build up?
 
Bad ground maybe, most likely voltage regulator is stuck. Had the same thing happen before.
 
Those trucks are bad about the positive crossover wire corroding and causing them to over charge at the passenger side.
 
looks like it would do it all the time of that was the case? I didn't get to check it when the wire was smoking but the voltage has been normal every time I've checked it since...
 
MegaCabRam said:
looks like it would do it all the time of that was the case? I didn't get to check it when the wire was smoking but the voltage has been normal every time I've checked it since...
Click to expand...

How are you checking it?
 
More than likely bad crossover cable. They tend to corrode on the driver's side within 6 inches of the positive terminal causing charging system issues. To test you could just connect a jumper cable between the two positive terminals of the battery with everything connected and see if that takes care of your issue.
 
Finally got around to checking this out a little more, I have 14.7-14.8 at both batteries & 15.0-15.1 at the alternator... Its still only tried to melt the wire that one time but I'm afraid to drive it much till I figure out what caused it, I'd hate for it to catch something on fire or melt into my new intake.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top