What the heck just happened.. ?! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Patrick Sullivan · 10-23-2002, 12:40 AM

Not quite sure what just happened.. driving home from work, and everything gets REAL BRIGHT all of a sudden.. ammeter pegged to the right. My headlights blow out, so I'm driving down the highway in the dark and I can't see a thing.. but I'm scared so I just speed up and hope I get home.. I can smell burning stuff, and of course I don't have a fire extinguisher with me, so I go even faster.. my guages all still work except for my temp guage which was slowly pegging to the right, which is wierd, since I don't think my engine was getting any hotter.. coming close to home, and the engine just about dies on me.. no gas response at all.. I make the final turn, and the truck is bearly idling.. any gas would make it backfire and chug, but it was idling fine.. get home, pop the hood, one of the positive wires from my battery is COMPLETELY melted through.. it's the one that goes to the wierd plastic thing on the fender, that apparently all the accessories run off of? Something like that.. anyway..

I suspect something shorted out, which made my (new) alternator go crazy and charge like it had never done before.. which in turn started melting things.. but I didn't blow a single fuse?

And the only lights I blew were my headlights.. orange lights and side markers are (I think) still working.. and my temperature guage is STILL pegged, even with the battery totally disconnected.

Now.. what the hell?!?!

Sorry for the unorganized message, but I'm still shaken up, hahah.. thought it was gonna catch fire or something. I have noticed the ammeter bouncing around when running the truck before.. was that a harbringer of doom?

whateva · 10-23-2002, 12:45 AM

Sounds like your voltage regulator took a crap and that you melted your fusable link.

Patrick Sullivan · 10-23-2002, 12:52 AM

The guages read to the right when they're grounded, right? I can't find the temperature sender, I think that's where it's shorting out..

No fusable link.. it was a straight 10 guage wire.. I know someone butchered this wiring in the past but it has never given me much trouble.. hahah

**68 Stepside** · 10-23-2002, 01:05 AM

sounds like it was a dead short to me....

if you could possibly prove that it was your new alternator that caused all this, they would have to replace all your wiring as well.

The temp sender is in the left head (drivers side), between the first 2 plugs. I would tend to think that little wire couldn't cause the whole mess of wiring to disentigrate. But you never know. Either way, a good, uncut used harness is cheap, I'd go that route, but I'd certainly try to determine what caused the whole problem before you replace the wiring.

Best of luck to you

T

Patrick Sullivan · 10-23-2002, 01:11 AM

Temp sensor is on the driver's side? Green wire? Hmm.. I disconnect that and the guage still stays pegged.. guess I'll follow the wire up. Thanks.

**68 Stepside** · 10-23-2002, 01:15 AM

the gauge is pegged with no power? power may have to be applied before it'll go back down, or it's possible that it's fried. And yes, it's the green wire, forgot to mention that.

T

Patrick Sullivan · 10-23-2002, 01:47 AM

Ok.. replaced the melted positive wire, and the truck started again.. and my alt is charging without limit. Rev it up.. and everything gets real bright again, hehe. Guess tomorrow I'll be going for a new voltage regulator, though this one isn't even that old..

Disconnected the temp guage, and when I started the truck up it dropped back down to cold.. which leaves me wondering where the dead short is/was..

Thanks for the help, more updates tomorrow, hahah..

Old Dave · 10-23-2002, 08:41 AM

It sound like your regulator is stuck and you're getting a lot more than 14.5VDC out. I would pull the alternator and have it checked before you replace the regulator just to make sure it's good. I had this happen one time on a Ford ambulance when they were on a fire call and it took out all the lights on the inside and outside. The regulator had failed and the it was putting out 63V.

Hooter · 10-23-2002, 09:56 PM

Wow! exact same story as me !!. same thing happened to me right down to the temp guage in June. Scared the heck out of me, dash lights, headlights and guages. Voltage regulator crapped out and all my alternator wires melted together. Took me a week to fix all of the wirng

barn9 · 10-23-2002, 10:49 PM

What a perfect time and situation to switch to the newer style alternator and be done with the archaic voltage regulator. You'll be glad you did!

Hooter · 10-23-2002, 10:56 PM

I did that after the situation and ive never been happier

DanoDMano · 10-24-2002, 12:24 AM

I had this happen to me , and I found the Power wire to the back of the alternator had shorted to the side of the alternator.
Used a meter and started pulling wires til the short went away pointing me to the alternator.
That wire goes to the fusebox, the alternator, and to the headlights I believe..

Easy Fix, but an expense if you are out in the middle of nowhere like I was...

Good Luck Buddie

10-23-2002, 12:40 AM	#1
Patrick Sullivan Transcendental Trucker Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Rockaway Beach, OR Posts: 374	What the heck just happened.. ?! Not quite sure what just happened.. driving home from work, and everything gets REAL BRIGHT all of a sudden.. ammeter pegged to the right. My headlights blow out, so I'm driving down the highway in the dark and I can't see a thing.. but I'm scared so I just speed up and hope I get home.. I can smell burning stuff, and of course I don't have a fire extinguisher with me, so I go even faster.. my guages all still work except for my temp guage which was slowly pegging to the right, which is wierd, since I don't think my engine was getting any hotter.. coming close to home, and the engine just about dies on me.. no gas response at all.. I make the final turn, and the truck is bearly idling.. any gas would make it backfire and chug, but it was idling fine.. get home, pop the hood, one of the positive wires from my battery is COMPLETELY melted through.. it's the one that goes to the wierd plastic thing on the fender, that apparently all the accessories run off of? Something like that.. anyway.. I suspect something shorted out, which made my (new) alternator go crazy and charge like it had never done before.. which in turn started melting things.. but I didn't blow a single fuse? And the only lights I blew were my headlights.. orange lights and side markers are (I think) still working.. and my temperature guage is STILL pegged, even with the battery totally disconnected. Now.. what the hell?!?! Sorry for the unorganized message, but I'm still shaken up, hahah.. thought it was gonna catch fire or something. I have noticed the ammeter bouncing around when running the truck before.. was that a harbringer of doom? __________________ Patrick Sullivan \| sullivan@oregoncoast.com Rockaway Beach, Oregon 1972 Chevy Cheyenne C-20 1998 Dodge Dakota 4x4 So, fill to me the parting glass And drink a health whate'er befalls... Then gently rise and softly call Goodnight and joy be to you all!

10-23-2002, 12:52 AM	#3
Patrick Sullivan Transcendental Trucker Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Rockaway Beach, OR Posts: 374	The guages read to the right when they're grounded, right? I can't find the temperature sender, I think that's where it's shorting out.. No fusable link.. it was a straight 10 guage wire.. I know someone butchered this wiring in the past but it has never given me much trouble.. hahah __________________ Patrick Sullivan \| sullivan@oregoncoast.com Rockaway Beach, Oregon 1972 Chevy Cheyenne C-20 1998 Dodge Dakota 4x4 So, fill to me the parting glass And drink a health whate'er befalls... Then gently rise and softly call Goodnight and joy be to you all!

10-23-2002, 01:05 AM	#4
68 Stepside huh? Join Date: May 2000 Location: Washington, Illinois Posts: 5,692	sounds like it was a dead short to me.... if you could possibly prove that it was your new alternator that caused all this, they would have to replace all your wiring as well. The temp sender is in the left head (drivers side), between the first 2 plugs. I would tend to think that little wire couldn't cause the whole mess of wiring to disentigrate. But you never know. Either way, a good, uncut used harness is cheap, I'd go that route, but I'd certainly try to determine what caused the whole problem before you replace the wiring. Best of luck to you T __________________ Someday when I'm lonely, Wishing you weren't so far away, Then I will remember Things we said today. RIP El Jay

10-23-2002, 01:11 AM	#5
Patrick Sullivan Transcendental Trucker Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Rockaway Beach, OR Posts: 374	Temp sensor is on the driver's side? Green wire? Hmm.. I disconnect that and the guage still stays pegged.. guess I'll follow the wire up. Thanks. __________________ Patrick Sullivan \| sullivan@oregoncoast.com Rockaway Beach, Oregon 1972 Chevy Cheyenne C-20 1998 Dodge Dakota 4x4 So, fill to me the parting glass And drink a health whate'er befalls... Then gently rise and softly call Goodnight and joy be to you all!

10-23-2002, 01:15 AM	#6
68 Stepside huh? Join Date: May 2000 Location: Washington, Illinois Posts: 5,692	the gauge is pegged with no power? power may have to be applied before it'll go back down, or it's possible that it's fried. And yes, it's the green wire, forgot to mention that. T __________________ Someday when I'm lonely, Wishing you weren't so far away, Then I will remember Things we said today. RIP El Jay

10-23-2002, 12:45 AM	#2
whateva Registered User Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Poway, Ca Posts: 108	Sounds like your voltage regulator took a crap and that you melted your fusable link.

10-23-2002, 01:47 AM	#7
Patrick Sullivan Transcendental Trucker Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Rockaway Beach, OR Posts: 374	Ok.. replaced the melted positive wire, and the truck started again.. and my alt is charging without limit. Rev it up.. and everything gets real bright again, hehe. Guess tomorrow I'll be going for a new voltage regulator, though this one isn't even that old.. Disconnected the temp guage, and when I started the truck up it dropped back down to cold.. which leaves me wondering where the dead short is/was.. Thanks for the help, more updates tomorrow, hahah.. __________________ Patrick Sullivan \| sullivan@oregoncoast.com Rockaway Beach, Oregon 1972 Chevy Cheyenne C-20 1998 Dodge Dakota 4x4 So, fill to me the parting glass And drink a health whate'er befalls... Then gently rise and softly call Goodnight and joy be to you all!

10-23-2002, 08:41 AM	#8
Old Dave Is a bullfrog waterproof? Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: OLATHE, KANSAS Posts: 1,130	It sound like your regulator is stuck and you're getting a lot more than 14.5VDC out. I would pull the alternator and have it checked before you replace the regulator just to make sure it's good. I had this happen one time on a Ford ambulance when they were on a fire call and it took out all the lights on the inside and outside. The regulator had failed and the it was putting out 63V. __________________ "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt." Ben Franklin __________________ 1970 Chevy shortbed 2002 Harley Custom Chopper (Long sucker) 1998 K2500 5.7L 5-speed Longbed 1st two are My son's toys...they just live in my garage! 1997 GMC K1500 Suburban 1993 S-10 Blazer 4D (youngest son's daily driver) 2000 Dodge Ram 4WD Ext. Cab (5.9L) Wife is a late year 1951

10-23-2002, 09:56 PM	#9
Hooter My other Love Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Castlegar B.C. Canada Posts: 4,085	Wow! exact same story as me !!. same thing happened to me right down to the temp guage in June. Scared the heck out of me, dash lights, headlights and guages. Voltage regulator crapped out and all my alternator wires melted together. Took me a week to fix all of the wirng __________________ Castlegar B.C.The great white North (Canada Eh!) Hooter_5@hotmail.com First generation Monte Carlo club pictures of my life

10-23-2002, 10:49 PM	#10
barn9 Half a bubble off! Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Winfield, Ks, USA Posts: 5,588	What a perfect time and situation to switch to the newer style alternator and be done with the archaic voltage regulator. You'll be glad you did! __________________ Just call me LB. '71 Cheyenne, 402BB, hauls blondes, brunettes, or redheads.

10-23-2002, 10:56 PM	#11
Hooter My other Love Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Castlegar B.C. Canada Posts: 4,085	I did that after the situation and ive never been happier __________________ Castlegar B.C.The great white North (Canada Eh!) Hooter_5@hotmail.com First generation Monte Carlo club pictures of my life

10-24-2002, 12:24 AM	#12
DanoDMano Pronounced "Pew-al-up" Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Puyallup, Washington Posts: 845	Burned Out I had this happen to me , and I found the Power wire to the back of the alternator had shorted to the side of the alternator. Used a meter and started pulling wires til the short went away pointing me to the alternator. That wire goes to the fusebox, the alternator, and to the headlights I believe.. Easy Fix, but an expense if you are out in the middle of nowhere like I was... Good Luck Buddie __________________ Classic GM Trucks of Washington Club Member 1970 FS chevy,350/350, Edelbrock cam and intake. Holley 650 carb,HEI,AT,Tangier Orange, 18's, Power Locks, Truck Photos

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