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1985 Chev 4x4 melting ground wire ?

Hey,

Put a stereo in my truck, wired properly and now for some reason after the truck runs for a few minutes (less than 2) the truck dies and the ground wire connected to the frame and the neg post on batt melts. I checked my connections on the fuse panel for the stereo and all is well. I have resonable wiring skills and have wired several stereos before the same way without any problems. I know there is a short somewhere but where to start. The stereo still works after this happens, as do the headlights etc, but that wire literally burns up in a cloud of smoke.

1985 Chevrolet Silverado 4x4 350/700R4, stock engine and electric choke disconnected.

Any ideas as to where to start ? Ever happen to anyone else ?

TIA

Reply to
buick69
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Figured it out. Alternator was overcharging the system.

Thanks to all who viewed.

Reply to
buick69

That sounds like a tricky one. What size (gauge) is the wire that burns up? Was there a factory one there or is this something you added? If your main ground cable is melting, you better quit before the battery blows up in your face. If the main heavy cable is OK, triple check it for a good connection at each end, although I would think if this was the problem, it wouldn't have the juice to turn the starter.

Reply to
Tennessee Tony

Check the Body Ground Straps.. on the older vehicles They Were Attached to the Valve covers or on the back Each head and the other Ends Attached to the CAB FIREWALL

my 89 s-10 has those straps ( They look like a braided copper Cable ) if the engine has been removed for repair, They might Have been Broken, Because they forgot to unbolt them or did not Hook them back up.. Some one told me that they could also be broken when removing the crossmember and lowering the tranny to Take the TOP bolts out of the Bell housing to remove the tranny !

Reply to
tom

Similar thing happened on my '86 Blazer. The regulator in the alternator went out and it was frying a wire everytime I'd start it.

~jp

buick69 wrote:

Reply to
Jon R. Pickens

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