A car-nundrum

[pb3vr6 at yahoo.com (Tonee Northam)]

The car is trashed, j/k.
   
  But here's a donor for sale if you need anything.
   
  http://forums.chicagovw.org/zerothread?id=7797

Jim Jarrett <jarrett@xxxxxxx> wrote:
  -Convertible.

-Brand-new starter

-Brand-new alternator

-Brand new beefy starter-to-positive terminal, brand-new gold (+) 
connector from Parts Express

-Neither the Terminal 50 nor the terminal 15 wires from ignition to 
starter and engine to starter are connected. The starter-to-positive 
connector is in place, and the starter to alternator cable is in 
place. Positive connector is NOT on battery.

PROBLEM:

Merely touching the (+) connector to the battery causes a huge arc, 
and STARTS MELTING the terminal post.

BACKSTORY:

Last weekend, I went to start the car. It started, I put it into 
reverse, with a clunk, and the car went entirely dead. Stalled, dash 
went blank. Popped the hood and noticed wisps of smoke,, and found 
the battery-to-starter cable melted.

Ignominious tow home, and a Parts Express order later, I rebuilt the 
(+) cables. Merely touching the connector to the positive terminal 
made 1 ga wire GET HOT and the melty on the terminal. Unhooking the 
connector from the starter got my dash to come on.

Figuring then, that it was the starter, that it had badly fried 
itself inside causing a dead short, I replaced it, including the 
bearing.

The same fireworks and conversion of electrical to heat energy display.

I then unhooked the connection from the starter to the ALTERNATOR, 
but left the battery to starter connected. No melty, live dash.

Hooking up the Terminal 50 and 15 connectors, I attempted to start 
the car. Nothing. Not even a click from the starter.

WTF is going on? What's with the arcing and melting and heating when 
the alternator is merely in the line? HELP.

So the cable heating means that there's a short to ground somewhere 
along the path from battery to starter to alternator, right? If 
there was a break in the starter to alt cable and it was grounding 
out on the chassis, that could explain it? But I got continuity 
from the (-) to the alt connector? What else should I test?

If I have the Terminal 50 connector off the starter, that takes it 
out of the picture... it can't be the ignition switch, right?
=================================================================
| Jim Jarrett,McFarland, WI 2006 Golf GLS |
| mailto:jarrett@xxxxxxx 81 Rabbit Convertible 16v |
| 88 Scirocco 16V |
| Any problem can be solved with the proper application of |
| Force, Heat, Chemicals, or Money. |
================================================================


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