I own a 1972 F100 sport custom with a 360, holley 4bbl, C6
and 9 inch rear.

Problem. Turn the ignition key and solenoid humms. The positive
battery cable wire insulation melted. Put on a new solenoid. PUt in a new battery today. Tried starting the the truck this morning with the new battery and solenoid. The ground wire from battery to the block ( battery cable) all the insulation surrounding the wire melted off. Plus the other wires from the battery to the solenoid and the main wire to starter was warm, but not too hot to touch.

I am thinking the starter is my problem. I did notice that the wire to the starter, the insulation covering is very brittle and the wire
was not completely tightened. Part of the problem???

Purchased a new 4gauge wire to put on from the soleniod to the starter to see it that may be the problem. Or is that wishful thinking it would be that easy?? I also have heddman headers
and I know a lot of heat may have created some of my problems,
just trying to get info from knowledgeable people on this subject.

I will not be able to put on the new cable till morning and give it a try. I am almost sure that I will have to pull off the header to get the starter out, unless the starter is not the problem and the problem is wiring.

Any help on this matter will be appreciated.

DC

 

Could be the wire...replacing it wont hurt....the headers have to be unbolted for starter removal
Bad news is it sure sounds like a dead starter.

 

Can you turn the engine over by hand?

 

I see where this is going..........never thought of that.

 

Guess I forgot to tell you, I had just come home from a 1 hour drive and
was haveing starting trouble during the two shut offs doing errands. Yes the engine does turn over. In fact runs like a bear. I will be putting on the new cable from soleniod to the starter in a shortly. I hope this will do it. If not out comes the starter.

Thanks for the replies, will post what happens later today.

DC

 

Well, it was the starter. Put a new one in, after pulling off the header,
a pain in the butt job. Too much work for a dang starter. Put the new one in
connected the new wire from the starter to the solenoid, (new also), new ground cable, new battery, new positive cable, got the header back on and exhaust pipe.

Hooked up the remote starter and the starter engaged. Turned the key and now it works perfectly. What a heck of a dead short to fry the battery ground cable.

Thanks for the help.

DC