Those that write the FSM'a are more smarter than I is.

There is a statement in the first paragraph of EVERY procedure that advises to disconnect the battery. I have read this SO many times that I no longer see it. WEEELLLLLLLL.............

As some of you know, My AC compressor died the morning I left for Daytona and I ran the whole weekend "oldschool" with the windows down. It SUCKED

Anyway, I purchased all of the needed parts and started the compressor replacement today. All of the nuts/bolts came off easy except for the God forsaken nut #22. You know, the one that holds the hoses to the compressor. This damned nut would not budge, so I hooked up a 15mm deepwell socket and 3 extensions to my favorite 3/8 drive craftsman ratchet. Well, I applied a buttload of leverage and the nut broke..... and the ratchet slipped put of my greasy hand and shorted out on the positive connection on the starter to the frame. WHOOPS!!! I instinctively hit the ratchet to break the connection, but it slipped back on with a shower of sparks. I hit it again, but it didn't move this time. I hauled ass out from under the car and started to disconnect the battery. Too late. I managed to melt the positive side of the battery and set my car on fire! Grabbed the water hose and extinguished the flames and surveyed the damage.

As far as I can tell, both the negative and positive battery cables are melted and shot. The battery is useless as I managed to melt the positive connection and the insert came out (will see how liberal Autozone's "lifetime warranty" is...) and I completely melted my ratchet's internals. Sears will also get tested on their return policy.

Soooooooo.........

Do all of the B bodies share the same battery cables? If not, I have a 96 and need to know what's compatible.


and what else could I have fried? No battery to test, but it is easy to remove the starter for testing..... if there is a chance it is fried too, but I'd rather not remove it if it is insulated from this kind of thing...

Sparky,. you might look at garry,s cables they look pretty beefy,..
There'll be a bunch of internet guess's,.but until you hook battery power to it,. you won't know,.
Don't remove the starter till you try it,. you might be surprised,.

Nick

sorry but I just couldn't stop laughing.....I watched my buddy hit an air cleaner across the batt and weld it while his shirtless torso was 6 inches above it. Thanks for the memory

+1 on Gary's cables, If you gotta buy some muight as well buy the good ones, or mebbie someone is parting a car with some decent cables on the cheap...

There are times when even I disconnect the battery. Working around the battery/starter is a good reason.

I would have liked to have seen that. It must have been exciting.

I think the LT1 cables are all the same.

You didn't hurt the starter. Just inspect both ends of the hot & ground cables and the terminals closely for damage.

Cool on the starter.

And Nick, my wife wanted me to thank you........ she has been calling me "Sparky" since yesterday


I cannot afford Gerry's wires. I was thinking junkyard stock replacements. $325 for the parts, and another $100 for the battery and I have blown the budget for this repair.


And from what I understand, the LT1's came in either top or side mount configurations. I just thought the wires would be different also, maybe it was just the battery
connection

IIRC, the stock wires were #6 gauge.
I went to #4 gauge all the way around,
with an 80's Z-28 starter, and my ride spins over like an old mopar.

Dear moderator. It seems that a certain member is fraudulent with his sign on name. Or at least it needs an update.

How can we change Krzdimond to Sparky?





I have welded a screwdriver or two in my day!!!!

Too bad I am still in MIA, I have 2 or 3 stock cable sets at home from when I replaced mine.

I think I've got a set still on the black car. LMK if you need them.

Jon

I need them.

PM sent

As an option,. see exactly what is fried,. and you can cut it out of the 3 wire harness and run an extra cable in its place,. i made up 3 separate wires on my old gold roady, was still cheaper than buying a factory piece,.

It,s about time you posted some pucs of the carnage,.

Nick

Do lights turn on when you walk in a room now??

Man no fun at all. Glad YOU are ok and hope it all goes back together smoothly!

Practicing for the 4th of July?

Jon

Battery came in yesterday and cables came in today. Check EVERY connection 3 times, then ran a test light - just to be sure - before I hooked up the battery

All well with no smoke and the ground cable stayed cool......

opened the door and the lights came on..... good....

inserted the key and heard the chime........

turned the key and......... click. Just...... click.

Unhooked the battery and proceeded to remove the starter. Took it back to AutoZone to exploit the lifetime warranty. Cute little thing behind the counter might not be the brightest..... but she is proof - in - fact that cleavage = kids

Anyway, back on topic. She tested the starter and it passed, even though it didn't spin. Got the replacement tucked under my arm and left with a smile. Shims were a pain, but it went in without incident.

Hooked up the battery again, checked the lights, listened for the "ding" when the key is inserted..... turned the key and......












IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!

So it seems that shorting it out did take out the starter......

Pictures will follow, slow network now.


Next on the list is to add the R134A and check that for leaks.......

Good to hear Robert!!

attaboy sparky!!

the round disc in the solenoid was mebbe burnt away where it arc'd,.,.

Nick

GOOD DEAL!!

Krzdimond wrote:

There is a statement in the first paragraph of EVERY procedure that advises to disconnect the battery. I have read this SO many times that I no longer see it. WEEELLLLLLLL.............

As some of you know, My AC compressor died the morning I left for Daytona and I ran the whole weekend "oldschool" with the windows down. It SUCKED

Anyway, I purchased all of the needed parts and started the compressor replacement today. All of the nuts/bolts came off easy except for the God forsaken nut #22. You know, the one that holds the hoses to the compressor. This damned nut would not budge, so I hooked up a 15mm deepwell socket and 3 extensions to my favorite 3/8 drive craftsman ratchet. Well, I applied a buttload of leverage and the nut broke..... and the ratchet slipped put of my greasy hand and shorted out on the positive connection on the starter to the frame. WHOOPS!!! I instinctively hit the ratchet to break the connection, but it slipped back on with a shower of sparks. I hit it again, but it didn't move this time. I hauled ass out from under the car and started to disconnect the battery. Too late. I managed to melt the positive side of the battery and set my car on fire! Grabbed the water hose and extinguished the flames and surveyed the damage.

As far as I can tell, both the negative and positive battery cables are melted and shot. The battery is useless as I managed to melt the positive connection and the insert came out (will see how liberal Autozone's "lifetime warranty" is...) and I completely melted my ratchet's internals. Sears will also get tested on their return policy.

Soooooooo.........

Do all of the B bodies share the same battery cables? If not, I have a 96 and need to know what's compatible.


and what else could I have fried? No battery to test, but it is easy to remove the starter for testing..... if there is a chance it is fried too, but I'd rather not remove it if it is insulated from this kind of thing...

I want to see some pics of the end results of the shorted ratchet to the starter cable. Good show and tell for my students as to why you need to disconnect the battery before working on the car.

Here are the pics..

Crispy fried WB4

Not crispy, Cajun fried Just blackened....

Doesn't look like there is anything wrong with the wires themselves, just the ugly looking melted insulation.

I was told a story about Shammoo from a previous owner, Dale Nasmith in Portland Oregon. At one time Shammoo had FIVE batteries in it to provide WHOOPH for the subwhoophers. Dale came out into the garage one day to the smell of somebody in the neighborhood,very nearby, grilling chicken.

It was closer than he thought. A squirrel had somehow managed to touch across the gazillion amp terminals to become deep fried McSquirrel nuggets.

The other white meat. Tastes like chicken.

Got any pics of the battery and how it melted? I just saved the pics to show and emphasize to my students why you disconnect the battery when performing work around unfused positive wires. Perfect timing since I'm in the battery unit right now

no, but the lead connector was melted down the side of the battery and the *tin* insert came out.