wire getting hot

I have a white wire in my engine harness that splits into the ground for the alternator and "R" wire on the starter selinoid. I am not using the "R" on my new Robbmc starter. The alternator is a new chrome Summit unit.

I am running MSD 6AL ignition

When the key is turned to ignition this white wire gets very hot. Started to smoke. It also gave off a little spark after I unhooked it from the Alternator and touched it back.

I left it off the Alt and procedded to get the motor started. It does not get hot with it unhooked from Alt

Any insight??

 

The R terminal is hot during starter cranking,it feeds power to the coil,no way it should be grounded.I have never seen a ground wire on the older cars.What alternator do you have?

 

Its a Summit 100amp with the correct 2 wire connector, hotlead and ground terminal.

This wire splits and goes to the (now not used "r" terminal) and to the neg post on the rear of the alternator.

Atleast thats what it used to do.

Can I just ground the alt to the firewall, or battery?? and forget about this wire since I no longer use the "r" terminal.

 

It's grounded just by being bolted to the brackets.But chrome can be a pita,so if your having a problem,yes ground it anyplace that has a good clean connection.:laugh:

 

That R-wire should be going to the positive side of the ignition coil, not the alternator. If you leave it completely disconnected the car "may" be hard starting with a stock points ignition system. If it starts fine, leave it unhooked from the starter and alternator. My guess is if it isn't hooked to the starter, then it's grounding itself (since it's hot on the back of alt) to something flapping around down there.

 

Thank you guys - I must of got my wiring messed up and thought it hooked to the alternator - thus the hotnessou:

I wont use it - and will cut it and cap it.