The vital thing is to find out what caused it, the melted cables are merely
the symptom, the real problem could well have been past (i.e moving away
from the solenoid) the point where you severed the wires. It sounds like
you are running again now but unless you find where the problem was it could
happen again. As far as the alternator goes measure the voltage with
respect to ground on the brown/yellow and white as close to the warning
light as you can get. With the engine running at a fast idle and minimal
electrical load you should see about 14.5v both sides and hence no glow. If
the brown/yellow is down check again at the alt plug and if all connectioins
are sound and you see the same voltage the alternator is bad, possibly the
voltage regulator. If the white is down you have a bad connection back
through the ignition key and onto the brown down to the solenoid. This
*could* be the switch or some connection damaged as a result of the previous
very heavy current, in which case the original fault would have been past
that point too. If either voltage is higher than 14.5v that could also
indicate a problem with the voltage regulator.
As the starter was spinning as well as the wires melting I would be inclined
to think the problem was close to the ignition switch.
----- Original Message -----
From: "J.R. Leach" <leachsr@idirect.com>
To: <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, January 13, 2003 2:01 AM
Subject: OH-OH
> Hello All,
> I melted the harness in the 77B between the starter solenoid and the main
> harness on the fender well.
> ... everything
> seems ok EXCEPT now I have the dreaded "softly glowing ignition light".
> Should I recheck all my splices (ohNOOOOOOOOO) or did I toast the
alternator
> during the melt down ?
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