corofin12345
Member +
replyed above your post again.. its there alright, just whatever way i looked first that it seemed to be missing... eyes playing tricks.. well my earting points off the negitive is the front frame and big earth to gearbox
Electical fire on Motorway!
- Thread starter Blak_Mamber
- Start date
Blak_Mamber
Member +
Thanks for your input dude, very helpful
Ill have a look over the bits you have mentioned later tonight (if it dosent start pissing with rain) I can imagine its going to be hard looking at the alternator wires unless i can get proper under the car.
Ahh man, wish you were closer too, would have really helped me out big time
dan_ep82
Member +
no problem, seems a bit of a strange one! i can undertand the ground burning out with an electricial fault but the brake lines is very strange!
i can only presume the alternator has completely shorted to ground, thats the only thing i can think of that would cause such a large amount of current and most other circuits should be fused anyway, if the alternator has shorted then obviously there is no fuse protecting it..
i can only presume the alternator has completely shorted to ground, thats the only thing i can think of that would cause such a large amount of current and most other circuits should be fused anyway, if the alternator has shorted then obviously there is no fuse protecting it..
Rob H
Member +
sounds like there could be a dead short in the alternator charge regulator. we have had things like this happen befor but not on starlets. Also if your alarm has failed if that has a built in immobilizer that could have had something to do with it too. Was the rev counter working properly or doing anything daft? if the alternator has a short in it it would course it to earth through the body of the alternator which in turn would go through any thing it can to get back to the battery!!
you are very lucky it did not do any thing worse!! brake fluid is the most volatile thing there is under there!! it has a lot lower flash point than petrol too!!
you are very lucky it did not do any thing worse!! brake fluid is the most volatile thing there is under there!! it has a lot lower flash point than petrol too!!
Blak_Mamber
Member +
Thanks Rob & Dan, very helpful. We may be getting somewhere... what would you suggest i do once i check over the alternator for more burnt out wires? Check all fuses in the car?
I was not looking at the rev counter tbh, it all happened very quick and i think it just cut out as soon as i slowed down for traffic... pulled over stright away and took the keys out.
I was not looking at the rev counter tbh, it all happened very quick and i think it just cut out as soon as i slowed down for traffic... pulled over stright away and took the keys out.
Texx
Super Moderator
A short circuit within the alternator is a likely candidate, the brake lines and gearbox earth burning out is a good give away that the short is a component grounded through the engine and gearbox. As your using a shock and spring suspension setup I'm guessing your still using the rubber insulated top mounts? The lower arm bushes are rubber, and the steering rack has rubber mounts, so the only conductor linking the suspension and brakes to the body of the car are the braided brake lines, the driveshafts will be making the link between the gearbox and suspension/brakes/brake lines. As the earth strap on the gearbox melted the engine/gearbox would have been earthed by the brake lines, which is why they also melted.
If the alternator isn't the cause then the fault could be a little more tricky to find, but the first thing to do is get the multimeter out. Next remove both the negative and positive terminals from the battery and with the multimeter set to the 200Ω range measure the resistance between the positive battery terminal and a good clean conductive part of the engine, make a note of the reading. Then remove the wiring from the back of the alternator and again measure the resistance between the positive battery terminal and the engine. I don't have a meter here with me so I'm unable to offer any example readings, however if the resistance measured with the alternator connected is only a few ohms or less then that will suggest the alternator is faulty. If the readings with and without the alternator connected are the same or very similar but still only a few ohms then the fault could be elsewhere.
If it is the alternator causing the short then I would be a little concerned as to why the fuse didn't blow, so that may need checking before replacing the alternator. It would also be worth checking around the starter motor as the heavy cable that connects it to the positive battery terminal isn't fused and would be the last thing to melt if it's shorted out.
If the alternator isn't the cause then the fault could be a little more tricky to find, but the first thing to do is get the multimeter out. Next remove both the negative and positive terminals from the battery and with the multimeter set to the 200Ω range measure the resistance between the positive battery terminal and a good clean conductive part of the engine, make a note of the reading. Then remove the wiring from the back of the alternator and again measure the resistance between the positive battery terminal and the engine. I don't have a meter here with me so I'm unable to offer any example readings, however if the resistance measured with the alternator connected is only a few ohms or less then that will suggest the alternator is faulty. If the readings with and without the alternator connected are the same or very similar but still only a few ohms then the fault could be elsewhere.
If it is the alternator causing the short then I would be a little concerned as to why the fuse didn't blow, so that may need checking before replacing the alternator. It would also be worth checking around the starter motor as the heavy cable that connects it to the positive battery terminal isn't fused and would be the last thing to melt if it's shorted out.
MARK@CMBAUTOS
Trader
Last edited:
Blak_Mamber
Member +
Wow. Thanks so much for taking the time to write that reply mate, very helpful information. I'll buy a multimeter asap and get testing.
dark_knight
Member +
earthing points
^^ as always, Texx is super helpful.. you asked about grounding/earthing points earlier in the thread. i know it may be too little too late right now but i figure i can toss is my 2 cents worth. my battery was relocated to the trunk and here is how my negative terminal is earthed through-out the car;
- from the battery to one of the rear seat belt bolt holes
- belt side engine mount to a bolt hole where the abs pump would sit
- transmission side air filter support brace bolt hole to the stock trannie earth point
- as i'm still running a tmic, this is earthed to the engine
- my inlet manifold is also earthed to the right (driver) side suspension arch
i'm sure you'll figure this out given all the advice you have from people here..
keep us posted..
^^ as always, Texx is super helpful..
you asked about grounding/earthing points earlier in the thread. i know it may be too little too late right now but i figure i can toss is my 2 cents worth. my battery was relocated to the trunk and here is how my negative terminal is earthed through-out the car;- from the battery to one of the rear seat belt bolt holes
- belt side engine mount to a bolt hole where the abs pump would sit
- transmission side air filter support brace bolt hole to the stock trannie earth point
- as i'm still running a tmic, this is earthed to the engine
- my inlet manifold is also earthed to the right (driver) side suspension arch
i'm sure you'll figure this out given all the advice you have from people here..
keep us posted..
Last edited:
GTnomez
Member +
Bad news mate!
The only thing i can relate to is that when i dropped my engine in it wouldnt start, i checked all the plugs that go into the starter and it just would start. I cranked it while standing up this time so i could see in the engine bay and noticed sparks and smoke?!!! I had a closer look and my braided clutch line was melted??!!!!!! WTF!
The only thing i can relate to is that when i dropped my engine in it wouldnt start, i checked all the plugs that go into the starter and it just would start. I cranked it while standing up this time so i could see in the engine bay and noticed sparks and smoke?!!! I had a closer look and my braided clutch line was melted??!!!!!! WTF!
dark_knight
Member +
bad earth?
@GTnomez: did you find out what the fault was..? you musta had a bad earth..
@GTnomez: did you find out what the fault was..? you musta had a bad earth..
It's very strange indeed! I have the same braided lines like you have and they seem to be absolutely solid - can't believe they have burned!
Regarding your prodblem - I've read the whole thread - but nobody mentioned it. Do you think your Alarm got something to do with it? - You said the car wouldn't start at first and the Engine Management light was on? So it was on for a reason!
I believe the light disappeared after some time, because otherwise you wouldn't pass your MOT???
I have the same alarm as you have and sometimes it simply doesn't work and I'm unable to unlock the car no matter what I do, even with a spare fob -was that the same with your car?
Do you think that it (the alarm) could cause some sort of short circuit, which could lead to other problems?
Regarding your prodblem - I've read the whole thread - but nobody mentioned it. Do you think your Alarm got something to do with it? - You said the car wouldn't start at first and the Engine Management light was on? So it was on for a reason!
I believe the light disappeared after some time, because otherwise you wouldn't pass your MOT???
I have the same alarm as you have and sometimes it simply doesn't work and I'm unable to unlock the car no matter what I do, even with a spare fob -was that the same with your car?
Do you think that it (the alarm) could cause some sort of short circuit, which could lead to other problems?
dark_knight
Member +
faulty alarm?
@Paul_JJ: if the same alarm seems to cause the same symptomatic problem(s) for two users then i'd say it's worth checking out, don't ya..?
@Paul_JJ: if the same alarm seems to cause the same symptomatic problem(s) for two users then i'd say it's worth checking out, don't ya..?
Last edited:
Blak_Mamber
Member +
Im sure it has something to do with the alarm, but as i didnt instal this myself, i have no idea where to start as to what would casue this. Im thinking of just checking the points that Texx advised and if no luck, ill just have to get an auto electrician out to sort it.
