Electrical issues? NOW WITH PICTURES AND INFO

[hunt2elk]

I took the negative battery cable out of the car. Layed it on a bench and set my ohm meter 0. Took the two probes and touched each end of the cable and the result was 0 ohms of resistance? I did the same thing with the attached radiator support ground wire which is part of the negative battery cable in 1970. It also reads 0 ohms of resistance? So I am trying hard to figure out where the high resistance is? I have removed the engine block bolt in the front of the head and the captured nut in the radiator support was also sanded clean, even though both were nice and clean. So I am actually doing what people here are talking about, but not getting anywhere?

Just checking the resistance with an ohm meter won't tell the whole truth. You need to have a load applied to see what it does with amp draw. Someone posted previously how you need to do that. Or just go to a parts house and buy a $10 negative cable for a temporary check.

 

[dadsbee]

Just use the jumper cable as was suggested 2 pages ago.

Load test the cable. Hook it to the battery terminal and put your load tester negative lead on the other end of the cable and the positive lead on the battery terminal and hit the switch.

 

[NoCar2023]

"This started with the car starter not engaging in the start mode. So I removed the original starter and bought a high torques mini starter"


Some "mini-starters" place the positive cable connection very close to the block.
Are you sure the positive cable is not shorted to the block?

Edit: My comment relates to the melted wires, not the no-crank condition you had prior to the dead short event.

 

[pnora]

"This started with the car starter not engaging in the start mode. So I removed the original starter and bought a high torques mini starter"


Some "mini-starters" place the positive cable connection very close to the block.
Are you sure the positive cable is not shorted to the block?

If that was true it would be grounded all the time. This only happens when he is trying to crank it.

 

[Black_Sheep]

I took the negative battery cable out of the car. Layed it on a bench and set my ohm meter 0. Took the two probes and touched each end of the cable and the result was 0 ohms of resistance? I did the same thing with the attached radiator support ground wire which is part of the negative battery cable in 1970. It also reads 0 ohms of resistance? So I am trying hard to figure out where the high resistance is? I have removed the engine block bolt in the front of the head and the captured nut in the radiator support was also sanded clean, even though both were nice and clean. So I am actually doing what people here are talking about, but not getting anywhere?

Continuity with an ohm meter is no assurance that your cable is capable of handling the current while cranking.

 

[69_A12_6BBL]

I still have the harness and can just plug it back in. I was originally thinking of taping up the bare wires and trying it again or testing?

Find the reproduction M&H Front Light harness from Year One, (I can help you locate if theyre outta stock I once worked with M&H), and you'll be complete! Sounds like a dead short to ground.

 

[Jc cooper]

Having been working only automotive electrical most of my life, most electrical problems, are ground related! Grounds carry a very substantial amount of current, when under load ! Be specific with your diagnosis, orderly! Ck your replacement starter ! Remove and bench test ! Look at the cable connection on starter , to confirm that it is not making contact with the block , if it were , it would smoke your grounds! If that is good , test starter on bench , then go back to first thing you did at the column and verify all is well! Work from there! FYI! Good luck! And be patient! You will be surprised, when you find the Issue! And afterwards, you will be a much better, auto electrician! JC