Well my car had been sitting for a while (66 coupe w/289) and the battery was dead when I went to start it. So, I went and got a new battery, went home to hook it up, and as soon as I got both terminals connected one of the wires going from the starter solenoid (to the alt. i think) started smoking and sparking. Well the wires are cooked now. What caused this? is there a short? Was it the solenoid? I will probably need to replace that wire, so is there a certain type I have to use? I SUCK with anything electrical related. My dad is telling me that if I dont get this fixed soon I have to sell my car. I cant afford to pay someone to do it so I want to knock this out myself. Any help is appreciated guys. I will have pictures up later if that helps.
Is it my starter solenoid?
- Thread starter 66nightMARE
- Start date
Hey 66,
I had a similar problem (less the sparks).
I would suggest you remove the battery and the battery tray. Check the wire harness where it passes under the tray. I think battery acid leaked, or something, on the cable and on my car the harness was all melted and fused.
Don't sell the car. A new harness cost me about $225.00 from Mustangs Unlimited, if I remember correctly.
I installed the harness in less than 20 minutes (on my 67. can't be all that different, can it?) It was actually easier to install the new underhood harness than it was to remove the old one.
The bad news it I had just replaced my alt. and my v-regulator. I fried them when I put the new battery in and saw/smelled the smoking harness.
I hope this helps, or at least gives you a place to start.
I hope you don't have to sell the car for a few hundred $$$ in repair.
I had a similar problem (less the sparks).
I would suggest you remove the battery and the battery tray. Check the wire harness where it passes under the tray. I think battery acid leaked, or something, on the cable and on my car the harness was all melted and fused.
Don't sell the car. A new harness cost me about $225.00 from Mustangs Unlimited, if I remember correctly.
I installed the harness in less than 20 minutes (on my 67. can't be all that different, can it?) It was actually easier to install the new underhood harness than it was to remove the old one.
The bad news it I had just replaced my alt. and my v-regulator. I fried them when I put the new battery in and saw/smelled the smoking harness.
I hope this helps, or at least gives you a place to start.
I hope you don't have to sell the car for a few hundred $$$ in repair.
TOM B
20+ Year Stangneter 
Hmmmm, did you hook the battery up right, pos goes to the solenoid and neg goes to a ground or your block. The alt wire comes off the same post on the solenoid as does your battery pos wire. Dont go by cable colors as someone my have changed them. Fix it yourself and save $225.00 it not that hard, we will help you, take pics and post them.
Ok well I got the car running. I went ahead and tried hooking up the battery again. Nothing bad happend so I went ahead and started 'er up. It idled smooth for a little bit but then got real rough (like a had a really radical cam). Then from the exhaust you could hear a knocking. Looked as if oil were coming out too. So I cut it. Here are some pictures.
