[Twokeela]

Hi all.

I have an issue with the ignition in my 66. I changed gauges and all the good things that go along with that and now the car won't turn over. When the key hit accessory, the electric fuel pump kicks in and the interior lights come on, however there is no engine firing. I thought it might have been a ground that was missing so I grounded the ignition with heavy wire to the steering column bracket. Now, when I last tried, smoke came from the wiring harness, just behind the brake booster. I have a singed wire and am now at a loss.

I would really appreciate knowing if there is someone in the Bismarck/Mandan North Dakota area that could maybe take a look for me and see if I have done major damage or give some advice on how to get things back to right.

I know I have probably not given much info, so please message if you need more and I will answer you whatever I can.

Thank you all for your time.

[2002Z4CSS]

So the engine won't crank over or it cranks but won't start?

[Twokeela]

The engine will not crank. Basically, I get to accessory and the fuel pump kicks in...(electric) and then I turn it to start and there is nothing. No crank, no fire, no turn over...just dead.

I think the issue is a bad ground some place. I just don't know where to look. The wire that is singed is going from the wiring harness to the voltage regulator. I do have the ignition ground. I have also used a different ignition to rule out that, just in case.

[2002Z4CSS]

Maybe the ignition switch got partially unplugged or the neutral safety switch.

[Twokeela]

Thanks for the reply.

As far as I know the Neutral Safety switch is gone. The car was an automatic at one time, however a 3 speed manual was installed a couple of years ago.

The ignition is completely plugged in and it has been changed as well.

What would have caused the wires to fry like they did? Just being grounded wrong or something else?

[aldbeir]

burning wires means a short in wiring not protected by a fuse.

[pont406]

might be faulty ignition switch, you may have fried the ignition switch wires, therefore no start!, this happened to my 66 Lemans a few years back, hot wire from switch melted thru firewall plug to HEI power wire, i replaced the entire under the dash harness, firewall/fuse block and engine harness with repo harnesses from M&H Electrical Fabricators, simply removed and replaced deal, not a cheap fix, but, now everything is new and i greatly reduced the risk of my car going up in flames because of faulty wiring! your car is 44 years old, depending on how well it was kept over the years , your wiring harness are either in nice original shape, or they may have been hacked on by preivous owners, if its the latter you may have all kinds of problems coming your way

[66 LeMans]

Check the battery cable to the starter. (the thick one running from the battery).

I had the problem that, somehow, the thick battery cable melted against the exhaust manifold. since the starter is in such a cramped space, I found out when I swapped the engine. In my case it was very hard to see, because looking from under the car everything looked fine. Until I took out the starter. the top side of the cable was stripped for about 2 inches .

Yes, I had to change a lot of wires too, they were all hard because of overheating.
And yes, I had smoke coming from the wires under the dash too.

What I would do is, take the starter out, check the thick cable.

[j69shep]

Follow the melted wire back to its source, Identiy the wire and its function. Check with a ohm meter or a test light for a direct short to ground on the melted wire. A melted wire is a sure sign of a 12v to ground short. Bad ground or missing ground would have the opposite affect, an open circuit on the ground side and that wouldn't melt anything. Your inside lights shouldn't come on with the key in the accessories, so something is definitely miswired there. Figure out the short first and then the intereior light problem next. Good luck. Jim

[Twokeela]

I have done some more exploring and have found the the red wire, going to the ignition is also melted. I found melting on the heater plug, although that was not plugged in at the time of this incident.