1969 C10 Won’t start

[dtkarst]

I’ve got a 69 c10 that I’ve had about a year now. 350/350 combo, had the carb rebuilt, put an Hei in it etc etc. I fired it up today to get the timing adjusted just right (was just a tick off after hei replacement) and it fired up, I drove it around the block and it ran pretty great and as I pulled back into the shop it died on me. Went to start it again and nothing at all. I could smell something hot and got out and looked at the battery and the ground cable was loose on the battery and it was arcing a lot and the cable was warm. I snugged it down a little more but all I’d did was spark worse. Now I have nothing, no lights or anything just dead. Now my guess is I’m getting a short somewhere on a ground somewhere. They are new cables hooked up tot he right spots but the negative arcs all the time. Now the neutral safety switch was acting up ever since I bought it, as in i had to hold the shift lever up into park to get it to turn over sometimes. So what I’m wondering is, could my issue be in the safety switch or ignition, or somewhere else?

[rjs53]

Not sure if it turns over or not. If mot check the start wire on the starter from the ignition. It might have melted. Just a thought

[dtkarst]

It won’t dobanything at all, no lights nothing. Gonna charge the battery back up and start tracking it down or at least attempt

[Hutch]

Check the fuseable link at the end of the positive cable near the battery
If it is not next to the battery do a search on the forum for other locations

[rjs53]

Hope the fuse box didn't burn up. I had a clutch put in once, don't ask how he did it but the shop somehow managed to burn up one side of the fuse panel. Anyway I had the same issue and ended up having to jump a hot wire to the panel until I was able to replace it. If a wire burned it might have blown a fuse or two, check the panel.

[Hutch]

Any updates?

[SC1969c10]

Going through something very similar. Check all your underhood wires: battery cables, starter wires, ignition wire. Then check the wires off your ignition. My problem is my fuse box is literally changing daily from what is key on and whats not.
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[dtkarst]

Yes I forgot about this thread here glad someone posted. When I bought it the previous owner had put some new battery cables on it and zip tied the positive cable away from the block. Well the zip tie broke and the positive cable made its way to the side of the motor on a spark plug and burnt it up. So luckily that’s all it was, changed the cable and it’s good to go