Help and advice: 66 Electrical
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2
From: CA
Help and advice: 66 Electrical
So after all these years of jumpstarting my cars I hook up the cables backwards on my mustang. It started smoking and by the time I had taken off the cables some wires had melted, I'm sure the starter was toasted, etc...
I've never done this and now I need to get the car running asap (by end of next week) but I'm sure the extent of the damage I've done. I'm ready to order whatever parts I need but I need to get it right the first time. So, a new battery (obviously), a starter, mayby an alternator?.., I don't know.
Can anybody shed some light on my situation? I'm a beginner when it comes to workin on cars so any advice will help. It's a 1966 2 door coupe with a 289. Heck, if you live in the Fresno/Clovis area perhaps you can even come out and help me. I just got out of the military and I have to move across country in a week. I'M DESPARATE FOR HELP!!!!
I've never done this and now I need to get the car running asap (by end of next week) but I'm sure the extent of the damage I've done. I'm ready to order whatever parts I need but I need to get it right the first time. So, a new battery (obviously), a starter, mayby an alternator?.., I don't know.
Can anybody shed some light on my situation? I'm a beginner when it comes to workin on cars so any advice will help. It's a 1966 2 door coupe with a 289. Heck, if you live in the Fresno/Clovis area perhaps you can even come out and help me. I just got out of the military and I have to move across country in a week. I'M DESPARATE FOR HELP!!!!
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 16
From: Colorado
The good news:
All of the parts you mentioned are readily available and relatively inexpensive at most auto part stores.
Which parts do you know for sure are toast and how do you know? Batteries, starters and alternators are easily testable at most auto part stores and they'll typically test them for free. They're all easy to remove. If you're mechanically inclined you can test most of them yourself with little more than a volt meter.
The starter solenoid is like $12 - $20 and easy to replace.
The voltage regulator may be affected as well and they are also pretty cheap.
Melted wires are relatively easy to spot and replace as well.
I would agree that the battery is most likely toast. Before you go buying a bunch of parts I'd start with replacing that (still, have them test it before you pay for a new one just to be sure.) Also, replace any melted or damaged wires/cables. I would probably replace the starter solenoid too simply because they're cheap. Once those are in, try starting the engine and see what happens. Get back on the forum and let us know what happens and we'll go from there.
All of the parts you mentioned are readily available and relatively inexpensive at most auto part stores.
Which parts do you know for sure are toast and how do you know? Batteries, starters and alternators are easily testable at most auto part stores and they'll typically test them for free. They're all easy to remove. If you're mechanically inclined you can test most of them yourself with little more than a volt meter.
The starter solenoid is like $12 - $20 and easy to replace.
The voltage regulator may be affected as well and they are also pretty cheap.
Melted wires are relatively easy to spot and replace as well.
I would agree that the battery is most likely toast. Before you go buying a bunch of parts I'd start with replacing that (still, have them test it before you pay for a new one just to be sure.) Also, replace any melted or damaged wires/cables. I would probably replace the starter solenoid too simply because they're cheap. Once those are in, try starting the engine and see what happens. Get back on the forum and let us know what happens and we'll go from there.
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