Connected the Battery BACKWARD for two minutes

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bearwolf64

bearwolf64

Bearwolf50
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So I work TOO late today. I connect the battery BACKWARDS when I was doing a electric check for two minutes. I smoke the return wire from starter to the start relay. Any idea on how much damage I could have done?

Bear
 
Hard to say, did you turn the key on?

The BIG short across a reversed polarity situation is the alternator diodes. If you have "original" wiring, this means that a lot of current went in through the fuse link/ ammeter circuit.

If you have an aftermarket stereo amp, you may have killed it. Many of these put the main battery feed directly routed to the output transistors.
 
67Dart273

I did turn the key to the accessories., but I did not turn the motor over. The only wire I see burnt is the small one that runs from the starter to the starter relay.

Bear
 
bearwolf64 said:
67Dart273

I did turn the key to the accessories., but I did not turn the motor over. The only wire I see burnt is the small one that runs from the starter to the starter relay.

Bear
Click to expand...

Where exactly does this go?

Must go from the big stud? on the starter to the big stud? on the relay?

If you turned it to "accessory" as long as you did not have too much on, like the radio, you may not have hurt anything, except possibly the alternator.

You still have the original ammeter wiring, or did you bypass it?

How about a fusable link? Should be one somewhere there from the starter relay "big stud" to the bulkhead.
 
67Dart273

I rewired the car using EZ wiring, so I don't have the original wiring in it now.

Bear
 
I probly won't be much help. I'd replace the burnt wire, and UNHOOK the alternator temporarily, that is, unhook the big output stud.

Then hook the battery up with a test lamp in series, and all accessories, key, etc, off and doors closed, IE should be no load on the battery

If the lamp does not light, you may be OK. Then try hooking up the alternator.

Once again if the lamp stays "out" you may be OK.

When you get it running, check that the alternator is charging OK. It is possible to either short or open just one or more diode, which will degrade alternator performance.
 
place a test lamp between the positive post of the battery and the positive battery cable?
 
bearwolf64 said:
place a test lamp between the positive post of the battery and the positive battery cable?
Click to expand...

It's an old school current test. Take the cable off of the battery. Hook a light between the cable end and the batter post. If anything is drawing current, the light will come on.
 
Oh, and the small wire to the starter is the solenoid wire.
 
Put the test light between the positive post and the positive battery cable and it DID NOT light up. Good?
 
OK, connect the negative cable to the battery and did the test again. Light is on. IF I take the negative cable off the light goes out......
 
Yeah, ya gotta leave that neg cable hooked up. What you are looking for is something completing a circuit to ground. If the light is on dim, it's probably a low amp memory circuit to the radio, or the clock. If it's on bright, it's gonna be something bigger. Domelights, headlights, ignition, a short to ground. With the testlamp hooked up, start by pulling fuses, one by one and see if it goes out. If it doesn't go out, start looking at other things, (alternator fried and shorting to ground, ignition module blown, starter relay, et al). Could take some time, just be patient and go one step at a time.
 
Replace relay, light back on. Disconnected the coil, light out. tested, it comes back on when I connect it back up.
 
You lost me--you are talking about a test lamp in series with the battery cable?

What relay?

Coil? You do have the key OFF?
 
Headlight relay. Yes the test lamp in series with the battery cable. Yes the key was off.
 
67Dart273

Ya. And here is the email from EZ Wire that told me to jump Ignition 1 and 2 together.


The third pic made it easy. 386 437 1077 and Ill walk you right through it. Or its the same as my diagram on page 13 of the manual with the exception of the fact that you will need to add a jumper wire from Ign 1 to ign 2
On Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 6:29 PM, Eugene Bastian <[email protected]> wrote:
I have attached pictures of the end of the ignition switch, and it appears that there is a 381 on the side of the switch.

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of R Souza
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 10:04 AM
To: Eugene Bastian
Subject: Re: 1964 Plymonth Valiant Ignition Switch

Any markings or letters on the original switch?
On Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 9:48 AM, Eugene Bastian <[email protected]> wrote:
Gentlemen

I brought a 12 Standard harness and I am in the process of wiring the ignition switch and I want to use original the ignition switch. I am install it in a 1964 Plymouth Valiant 200 with a 273 and a 4 speed transmission w/o air. Can I get a wiring diagram for the switch?
 
67Dart273

Here is a picture of the ignition connector and switch.

The Pink wire is Ignition Switch Coil
The Brown wire is Ignition Switch Ignition
The Purple wire is Ignition Switch Start
The Red is Ignition Switch Power
The Orange is Ignition Switch Accessory.

Thanks
Bear
 

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Looking at how it plugs into the ignition switch, the GRD pong is not use.
 
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