Battery Cables HOT!

[Tberry]

I'm having an issue with my new build. Ran great during break in for 20 minutes. Installed trans and swapped in an Edelbrock 4bbl. While testing the transmission the engine fired up great at first. Adjusted carb a bit and was idling fine. When it had ran a bit the truck started to sputter and die.

When I went to start it again it was really slow to crank.

I waited a bit and when I went out the truck was cold and fired right up. Let it idle a bit and continued carb adjustments. Then it died again. When I went to look under the hood my arm touched the positive battery cable and it was too hot to touch.

I did some research and found this could be because of bad grounds. So far I've grounded the starter and alternator bracket to the negative battery post. I've grounded the battery to the frame and I've also grounded the starter to the frame.

The truck still fires and runs great cold but cables get hot and it dies.

Looking for where to look next.

TIA

 

[pjtoledo]

a bad ground causes too little current to flow.
something shorted out causes too much current to flow, and things get hot.

that being said, the amount of current needed to get battery cables hot is enough to melt something or start a fire.

is it the actual cable, several inches from the battery that's hot? or the connector on the post?

the starter is about the only thing I can think of that can sustain that much current for a prolong period.

 

[bobbywalter]

what ignition system? how is the charging unit wired?

 

[Tberry]

a bad ground causes too little current to flow.
something shorted out causes too much current to flow, and things get hot.

that being said, the amount of current needed to get battery cables hot is enough to melt something or start a fire.

is it the actual cable, several inches from the battery that's hot? or the connector on the post?

the starter is about the only thing I can think of that can sustain that much current for a prolong period.

It's the cable to the solenoid from the batter and the cable from the solenoid to the starter. Also the negative cable.

 

[bobbywalter]

something is loose or not making proper contact. this assumes it only gets hot when you crank it.

could be a bad starter.

check every connection and make sure the starter is installed properly and tights.

 

[superj]

is the starter running when the engine is running? that would make it get hot too.

small wire on the solenoid might be on the wrong post leaving the relay engaged the whole time.

 

[Tberry]

Replaced starter. Crisis averted. Thanks everyone