Author Topic: Burned my fusible link  (Read 22432 times)

Offline tommyg29

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Burned my fusible link
« on: April 15, 2015 - 09:05:02 PM »
I just upgraded my alternator with the 80amp kit, and installed it, and as soon as I connected the negative battery cable I heard some crackling. Before I could remove it smoke from the starter relay area and sure enough the link burned. Lots of smoke.
A few years ago I installed a 10g bypass wire from the alternator to the starter relay.
Is this likely a problem with a short in my alternator? And which size for my 80a alternator, 14 or 16g? Think I will just wire in a universal "chrysler" link, instead of $50 for NOS, especially since I cant find one with an eye connector on one end, and slot connector on the other. I never had to replace it before.
Thanks
« Last Edit: April 15, 2015 - 09:53:26 PM by tommyg29 »
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71 Cuda 440-6 Tribute-Limelight-A833 Close Ratio-4 Sp-Pistol Grip-Dana 3.54 Powr Lok-Rally Dash-Shaker (Sold)
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Offline dfrazz

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Re: Burned my fusible link
« Reply #1 on: April 15, 2015 - 10:08:35 PM »
Price just went down   :roflsmiley: :smilielol:

Offline tommyg29

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Re: Burned my fusible link
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2015 - 10:11:23 PM »
This looks like what I have, but says its for "forward light harness"??
https://www.yearone.com/Product/challenger-cuda/fd5279
« Last Edit: April 15, 2015 - 10:15:05 PM by tommyg29 »
72 Roadrunner 400-4 Auto-3.23 Gear-Black Cruiser
71 Cuda 440-6 Tribute-Limelight-A833 Close Ratio-4 Sp-Pistol Grip-Dana 3.54 Powr Lok-Rally Dash-Shaker (Sold)
92 Dodge Stealth RT-Twin 15g Turbos-SAFC2 Tuned-Mystic Blue-5 Sp-AWD-Rear Wheel Steering-AutoX'r (Sold)
12 Dodge Charger SXT Plus Blacktop Package-3.6L-8 Sp-Leather-Nav (the wife's)

Multiple SRT's, Rams, Dakotas, Caravans and Neons

...the lines on the road just look like dots!....

Offline tommyg29

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Re: Burned my fusible link
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2015 - 10:14:29 PM »
Price just went down   :roflsmiley: :smilielol:
Its always something. You try to upgrade something and it always seems to lead to more work than you anticipated
Absolutely never fails. Im a building contractor and its the same thing. You go to repair something and it always takes 3 times longer and more money than you expect.
72 Roadrunner 400-4 Auto-3.23 Gear-Black Cruiser
71 Cuda 440-6 Tribute-Limelight-A833 Close Ratio-4 Sp-Pistol Grip-Dana 3.54 Powr Lok-Rally Dash-Shaker (Sold)
92 Dodge Stealth RT-Twin 15g Turbos-SAFC2 Tuned-Mystic Blue-5 Sp-AWD-Rear Wheel Steering-AutoX'r (Sold)
12 Dodge Charger SXT Plus Blacktop Package-3.6L-8 Sp-Leather-Nav (the wife's)

Multiple SRT's, Rams, Dakotas, Caravans and Neons

...the lines on the road just look like dots!....

Offline dfrazz

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Re: Burned my fusible link
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2015 - 10:16:07 PM »
Its always something. You try to upgrade something and it always seems to lead to more work than you anticipated
Absolutely never fails. Im a building contractor and its the same thing. You go to repair something and it always takes 3 times longer and more money than you expect.

 :iagree:  And we always say, "ah, this should just take 30 minutes tops."  Nothing on our cars just takes 30 minutes.....

Offline Bullitt-

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Re: Burned my fusible link
« Reply #5 on: April 15, 2015 - 11:22:24 PM »
The way I read this you installed a different alternator connected the battery & the fusible link blew without starting the car.
If so my spidy sense tells me there's a dead short somewhere & I'd suspect the new alternator or an error in the install. 
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Offline 73440

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Re: Burned my fusible link
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2015 - 12:41:16 AM »
You let the smoke out, now it won't work.
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Offline Katfish

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Re: Burned my fusible link
« Reply #7 on: April 16, 2015 - 06:07:43 AM »
The way I read this you installed a different alternator connected the battery & the fusible link blew without starting the car.
If so my spidy sense tells me there's a dead short somewhere & I'd suspect the new alternator or an error in the install. 

X2

Offline tommyg29

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Re: Burned my fusible link
« Reply #8 on: April 16, 2015 - 08:14:45 AM »
Yes, that is exactly what happened. Only thing I did was remove one alternator, which I believe is already 80a, and put another alternator in that I just rebuilt on my workbench. I guess I shouldnt quit my day job. Some of those connections from the stator were very close to the housing. Maybe too close.
72 Roadrunner 400-4 Auto-3.23 Gear-Black Cruiser
71 Cuda 440-6 Tribute-Limelight-A833 Close Ratio-4 Sp-Pistol Grip-Dana 3.54 Powr Lok-Rally Dash-Shaker (Sold)
92 Dodge Stealth RT-Twin 15g Turbos-SAFC2 Tuned-Mystic Blue-5 Sp-AWD-Rear Wheel Steering-AutoX'r (Sold)
12 Dodge Charger SXT Plus Blacktop Package-3.6L-8 Sp-Leather-Nav (the wife's)

Multiple SRT's, Rams, Dakotas, Caravans and Neons

...the lines on the road just look like dots!....

Offline crackedback

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Re: Burned my fusible link
« Reply #9 on: April 16, 2015 - 11:29:49 AM »
Check continuity from charge stud to alternator case.  If so, you have a short inside is my guess.

Offline tommyg29

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Re: Burned my fusible link
« Reply #10 on: April 16, 2015 - 04:20:37 PM »
Check continuity from charge stud to alternator case.  If so, you have a short inside is my guess.
No continuity from main post to alternator body, but I do have continuity from both the other connectors, green wire to one and two blue wires on the other (which I think go to solenoids?)

Just pulled it and checked again. My continuity is from the blue wires connected on top to ground. My chart says those are distributor and idle solenoids, which I dont have
Guess I gotta pull the shaker base  :swear: and trace em out

Ok traced. I disconnected the blue wire going from top of alternator to my distributor solenoid. Not needed dead end. The other blue wire goes to the voltage regulator on the firewall, adjacent to the green wire.
When I disconnect the blue/green wire connector, I get continuity from one end of each wire to the other, but no reading at the posts on the regulator itself. So far ok.
Then, with the blue/green wire connector plugged in to the regulator, I read continuity to ground from the alternator end of the blue wire, but then a little while later after testing some other connections, I DIDNT get continuity to ground. Maybe something wrong with my VR?

If so and I swap my VR for another, what do the numbers on it mean? The black one I have says 321. Is that a fake 32nd week of 71? And what about the one labeled 1320?
I use an MSD 6AL ignition, and my ballast resistor is bypassed.
« Last Edit: April 16, 2015 - 06:44:42 PM by tommyg29 »
72 Roadrunner 400-4 Auto-3.23 Gear-Black Cruiser
71 Cuda 440-6 Tribute-Limelight-A833 Close Ratio-4 Sp-Pistol Grip-Dana 3.54 Powr Lok-Rally Dash-Shaker (Sold)
92 Dodge Stealth RT-Twin 15g Turbos-SAFC2 Tuned-Mystic Blue-5 Sp-AWD-Rear Wheel Steering-AutoX'r (Sold)
12 Dodge Charger SXT Plus Blacktop Package-3.6L-8 Sp-Leather-Nav (the wife's)

Multiple SRT's, Rams, Dakotas, Caravans and Neons

...the lines on the road just look like dots!....

Offline 734406pk

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Re: Burned my fusible link
« Reply #11 on: April 16, 2015 - 09:46:00 PM »
I just upgraded my alternator with the 80amp kit, and installed it, and as soon as I connected the negative battery cable I heard some crackling. Before I could remove it smoke from the starter relay area and sure enough the link burned. Lots of smoke.
A few years ago I installed a 10g bypass wire from the alternator to the starter relay.
Is this likely a problem with a short in my alternator? And which size for my 80a alternator, 14 or 16g? Think I will just wire in a universal "chrysler" link, instead of $50 for NOS, especially since I cant find one with an eye connector on one end, and slot connector on the other. I never had to replace it before.
Thanks

When you installed the 10 gage bypass wire (which is a great idea) where is the factory original alternator wire? Is it still in the harness? The fuse link should go between the battery terminal on the starter relay and the bulkhead connector then to the
fuse block protecting the wire harness from a short. If the old output wire is still in the harness and somehow shorted to ground while reinstalling your alternator, the fuse link will fry without starting the engine (assuming the ammeter is still connected). If I recall the blue wire is ign hot and the green is the regulator wire. You should have continuity between the two small terminals on the alt as these are the field terminals. Blue wire is 12volts positive when the key is on and the blue gets regulated to ground to control output voltage of the alternator.( called an "A" circuit regulator). Check for that old output wire. I'll dig up my wiring diagram to see what else can cause an 80amp plus short. Good luck!
1973 Challenger 440 6 pack auto 3.91 rear
2012 Dodge Ram 3500 dually 6.7 Cummins Fleece EFI Live
1973 Challenger 318 2bbl auto 2.73 rear 22.5 mpg RIP
1970 Challenger TA 340 4bbl auto-Sold and sad
1999 Dodge Ram 3500 dually 5.9 Cummins Fleece tuned VGT-sold
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Offline HP_Cuda

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Re: Burned my fusible link
« Reply #12 on: April 16, 2015 - 11:30:29 PM »

Seeing as I did one fusable link most recently and had a interesting incident - it is most likely the same.

When you go to add the bypass to the alternator its very easy to ground the terminal to the housing causing a big friggin spark. Note: remember your motor is the ground to the battery. So once you did this after hooking up the new alternator you fried the fusable link near the relay. Just go out and grab a fusable link from your local auto parts store like this (note there are different sizes):
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/CTI0/85621/N0220.oap?ck=Search_N0220_-1_3469&pt=N0220&ppt=C0172

Pop a new one on and be careful and you'll be set!

B
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Offline 734406pk

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Re: Burned my fusible link
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2015 - 12:22:04 PM »
 Checked the wiring diagram and the old alternator output wire shorting out scenario appears to be the most likely cause. Good Luck!
1973 Challenger 440 6 pack auto 3.91 rear
2012 Dodge Ram 3500 dually 6.7 Cummins Fleece EFI Live
1973 Challenger 318 2bbl auto 2.73 rear 22.5 mpg RIP
1970 Challenger TA 340 4bbl auto-Sold and sad
1999 Dodge Ram 3500 dually 5.9 Cummins Fleece tuned VGT-sold
1995 Kawasaki ZX1100E & still alive

Offline tommyg29

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Re: Burned my fusible link
« Reply #14 on: April 17, 2015 - 06:05:51 PM »
They had normal fuses back then. Why didnt they use those instead of a weak-link wire that burns?
72 Roadrunner 400-4 Auto-3.23 Gear-Black Cruiser
71 Cuda 440-6 Tribute-Limelight-A833 Close Ratio-4 Sp-Pistol Grip-Dana 3.54 Powr Lok-Rally Dash-Shaker (Sold)
92 Dodge Stealth RT-Twin 15g Turbos-SAFC2 Tuned-Mystic Blue-5 Sp-AWD-Rear Wheel Steering-AutoX'r (Sold)
12 Dodge Charger SXT Plus Blacktop Package-3.6L-8 Sp-Leather-Nav (the wife's)

Multiple SRT's, Rams, Dakotas, Caravans and Neons

...the lines on the road just look like dots!....