Had the weirdest thing happen today. First of all, Ive always had problems with this truck. Its an 87 f250 (previously diesel) converted to a 351 with a c6 trans. Driving it today to school the truck died. I figured I had ran out of gas since the gas gauge doesnt work. Poured gas in and a little in the carb to help her out but still no start. After a while of trying I noticed smoke coming out of the engine bay. The, what looks like a fuseable link off of the negative cable was melted. Taking the link apart I could not find a fuse inside, nor a spot for the fuse. My question is, what is this, and why would it melt? Never had this happen before. Needless to say my trucks still on the side of the road dead

 

This just means that your main ground cable is not properly grounded - all the current from your start attempts was trying to pass through that little fuse link - hence the fire.

Probably needs a new ground cable, etc, etc. Sounds like you got some serious junk there. Good luck!

 

Thats what I was first thinking, but the truck drove perfectly fine yesterday (and the last month for that matter). Put new ground cables on during the resto. One cable to ground on frame and one to the block where the stock one was. Seems like that would do right? Ill check again when I get home to see if any of the cables came loose or something

 

Fuse links don't actually contain a fuse, they ARE the fuse. What a fuse link is doing on a negative cable is beyond me... are you sure it just wasn't a melted wire? Fuse link look like regular wire sometimes, usually it'll have ratings printed on it but after a few years they all look the same.

Stock battery ground goes to the block like you said, and you added one to the frame which is great, but did you ground the chassis/body too? Starter current should never be running thru the body, and with your engine grounded like you say there shouldn't be a problem with it. IF your ground connections are in good shape, then maybe something other than the starter smoked your ground... which is probably why the truck died.

 

Thanks for the info! This has been on there since I got the truck and I assume its stock. The wire from the fuse runs into conduit and follows what seems to be the same wires as the alternator. I will look when I get home and find out exactly where it goes. The chassis/body is grounded as well. Where should I go from here other then just checking grounds? Check spark and starter solenoid is what Im thinking?

 

You never said what type of fuel system you have. Is it Carb or FI?

If it is FI the wire you are talking about is a one wire in-line wire connector. No it is not a fuse link and it does not have a fuse in it. It is the ground wire for the ECM Computer.


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It looks exactly like that! Only thing is, I have a Holley Carb?

 

Any chance its part C101 on the bottom left? Anyone know what it is?

 

I have no way of knowing how the Ignition was rewire when the engine was replaced.
But here are what the grounds should have been befor in the image below:


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C101 is a one wire connector going to the Computer pin #40 & 60 so the computer can ground all of the relays and solenoids of a FI system.

 

Thanks for the help guys! So I ended up getting the truck running. We got it towed home and cut the melted wire off. I ran a new, thicker, wire from the connector to the ground on the chassis. Checked all my old grounds, turned out to be rust on the frame where the ground connects. Cleaned it up and tightened it down good and the truck runs rough, but good once its warmed up. Hopefully she wont blow again!!