I decided that my 69 needed some new battery cables, so the process of replacing the old crudy ones, I also replaced the worn out/spliced/melted red wire that goes from the starter to the altenator. I go to start up the car, turn the key and...nothing. Now here is the kicker, I pull out the trusty test light and after an hour of probing discover that the altenator, valve covers, air cleaner, hood, fenders are all positivly charged! I double checked the wires on the starter, none of them are grounding out, once I turn the key off the above items no longer carry a charge. Any ideas??? Again the only wires I changed were the battery + lead, and the wire to the altenator...

I am only speculating here but the only thing that comes to mind is you reversed the cables at the battery. I cannot think offhand of any other way of supplying possitive juice to the normally grounded items without creating a dead ground which you would know if that happeded. (4th of July in June!)

Hopefully you did not do perminent damage to your electrical system but I have my doubts. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/redface.gif

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ACES #5032
TC #1074

I definitly did not reverse the battery cables.

Did you check the ground leads on and the body and the engine block. Like a bulb connected to 12 V and not having a ground lead, you will measure 12 Volt at the other pole.

The other thing that comes to mind is a shortage within the alternator. You have swapped the wire on the positive connector and this is rather "close" to ground. Perhaps the terminal rotated during mounting the new wire.

On my 66 there is a little +junction block on the radiator support, near the battery. This too is rather "close" to ground. Don't know if a 69 has the same layout.

Rob

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www.si.hhs.nl/~rob (http://www.si.hhs.nl/~rob)

I'm with Rusty. I think you lost a ground somewhere. Make sure that all grounds are good.

The altenator terminal did rotate when installing the new wire, however I tightened it back up. It is internal regulated, but I don't know that would make a difference in this case. I think the biggest clue is that everything is 'hot' or 'positivly charged only when the ignition switch is in the on position...

re-verify your grounds, both body to batt & engine to batt. Should read 0 Ohms.

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71 Ragtop
MCC #347, TC (Gold) #174
N3JHV@bellatlantic.net

OK class, can anyone tell me the cause of 99% of electrical problems out there? That is correct, a bad ground.

After removing the starter twice to check if the wires were grounding against the block I completely forgot that the first new ground cable I bought was just a little too short, so I just slapped one in that I had laying in a drawer to get by until I got the new one. Well, I never thought to test that cable...I replaced it with a brand new one, and PRESTO! Problem solved!
Thanks for all the help!