Having an electrical issue, not sure what it might be as I don't know much about electrical stuff, but here's the story:

Installing a new engine in my truck, had it in last week, cranking, spark, cab lights, running, everything was as it should be basically. I didn't have an alternator on it though, was just breaking the engine in, and had my bat. hooked up to a charger.

My old alternator was working fine before I took the old engine out, but I broke the aluminum housing removing it, so I got a new one (new old, junkyard).

Today, I got the accessories mounted, including the new alternator (but no distributor or fuel), and was trying to just crank the engine a little, get the antifreeze circulated and all, so I put the key in, cranked it for 5 seconds, and it worked fine.

I went to do it a few minutes later though, turned the key, and the starter or solenoid made a buzzing sound, and the cab light went off. Since then, nothing at all, I turn the key and nothing happens. This is pretty strange to me because it's obviously something that changed or failed, as I didn't change anything between when it was working and when I had no power to the whole truck. I don't think the solenoid's out, because that wouldn't kill the cab light, and that goes for the rest of the ignition system too. I'm thinking it has to do with the alt., since that's all that's changed since I last ran this new engine, but it's still strange to me that it worked, then sort of half worked, and is now dead.

The alternator is a stock 3 wire, and I'm not positive I hooked up the wires right, but what could I have fried? And when?

If anyone can give me any info it would be appreciated, I'm hoping this is just a small problem....

Thanks, AleX

 

Probably just need to clean your cables at the post and at the solenoid.

Josh