69 Chevelle won't start...HELP!!!!!

[Seattle_Rob]

Please help. This is probably pretty stupid coming from an electrician, but here goes. A couple of months ago I took a bad battery out of my Chevelle and exchanged it for a new 1. Starts simple huh? Well when I got home and put it in, my dumbass put it in backwards (Positive-Negative, Negative-Positive) not only once...but twice. Yes I did see some crazy smoke coming from my wiring and saw that my amp fuse and my radio fuse were blowin. Well, after I saw what I did, I put the battery in right, replaced the fuses, and the car and everything else worked fine. About a month ago I had to move the Chevelle to make room for a garage sale we were doing. I got in sat down turn the key and nothing...dead battery. So I got a jump from my wife and the car turned over fine. The next time I went to start it was where it gets tricky. I turned the key only to here, "Click, click, click" and smoke coming off of the solenoid. AWWWWW!!!!!!

Please help. What did I do and how can I fix it? I miss not driving her.

Rob =)

[ctesla]

so Rob,
how how many 220 or 440V wires have you hooked up backwards?
must have a good perm!
...sorry. they say it is funny until someone gets hurt;
then it is hilarious.

it sounds like when the battery was hooked up with reverse polarity, the contacts in the voltage regulator "welded" themselves together, causing just a slight battery seepage or drain, so coming back after a week:
dead battery.
I would bench test the alternator(just to make sure), load test the battery(to know the new battery still has good cells), and it sounds like you need to purchase a voltage regulator (about $10-15), and a starter solenoid ($7-10).
GM solenoids are "piggy-backed" onto the starter, so since it is already out at this point, your time is worth it, just buy a new starter and at least be benching up into the well a clean unit with a warranty.
unless you've converted the '69 to a newer internal regulated alternator, yours will be on the back firewall, probably just above the distributor.

hope this helps,
ctesla
ASE cert.instuctor

..PS: might want to use a little red spray paint or red elec. tape and mark the positive battery cable(because even if no one admits it but you; we've all been there before), as this could become expensive quick.

[Seattle_Rob]

Thank you!!!! I thought I was sunk....not SHOCKED!! (bad electrician joke) I'll give all those a try and get back to you.

Thanks again very much.
Rob =)

[Seattle_Rob]

Hey there. I ACTUALLY got my lazy ass off the couch and worked on the car today. Took out the alternator and battery and had them bench tested, and although the first time the guy just used a hand held tester and said the battery was fine, he actually used the machine today and said that right off the bat it showed a short inside the battery. But, good news is that the battery was still under warrenty so I was able to swap it out at no extra cost. After testing the alternator it came up fine so that was good, and I picked up a new voltage regulator just for the hell of it. WELL....after putting the alternator back in the car, replacing the voltage regulator, and installing the new battery THE RIGHT WAY!!!!! the car started fine. But, now the alternator light stays on.

WHAT'S UP WITH THAT??????


Can you please help me with that 1?
Thanks,
Rob =)

[bobss396]

Make sure that your voltage regulator has a good ground to it, some have a small braided strap that gets sandwiched between it and the radiator wall.

The age old acid test (no pun intended) for a charging/ not charging problem is to disconnect the negative battery cable at the battery while the car is running. If the engine stalls out, it is not charging.

You may have gotten a bum regulator or the alternator had hidden damage to it and it finally went.

Bob

[Seattle_Rob]

Cool!! Thanks, Bob. I'll give it a try.

Rob =)

[blue4X4]

I had a simular problem with my dual batteries trunk mounted by the fuel cell. That got expensive buying batteries that drained often. Ended up being the old style alternator with external regulator. I replaced it with a one wire alternator and problem solved. Also, make sure your starter wire did not melt onto the header causing a short.

[Seattle_Rob]

Turns out the battery had an internal short in it so I replaced that and the voltage regulator just for the hell of it.