C3 Wiring Repair

[Larry E. Howard]

OK I messed up and let my alternator red wire get grounded on my 69. Some smoke rolled up from the vicinity of the starter. After putting everything back togeter, I have no power to anything, Upon inspection I found the red wire from the starter, goes to a short brown wire and back to the red wire again. The brown wire is burned into, and appears to be for just that purpose. It showes on the wiring diagram. Question, how do I repair this without replacing the whole harness? I think this is called a fuseable link but can't find one in the parts catalogs.

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Wiring Repair

Larry-----

It is a fusible link. Actually, all a fusible link is is a section of wire which is one or more wire sizes smaller than the wire it "fuses". However, "fusible link wire" is sold as such (I don't know how it's any different than regular wire) and I think that you'll find it in auto parts stores. Just get some of the same gauge as the burned out piece and splice it in.

The "fusible link" wire is available under GM part numbers in all automotive sizes, but only if you want to purchase 50 feet of it. You don't need anywhere near that much.

[John H.]

Re: C3 Wiring Repair

You'll find ready-made fusible links in several different wire gauges for the GM starter feed connection in blister packs at any good auto parts store, with the large ring terminal already installed, and a butt connector already installed at the other end so you can splice the new fusible link in after cutting off the melted old one. Just make sure you get the right wire size fusible link (4 wire gauge numbers different than the feed wire - i.e., if the feed wire is 10 gauge, the fusible link should be 14 gauge, etc.)

[Joe L.]

Addendum

Larry-----

By the way, the short length of brown-insulated wire (i.e. the fusible link) should be 14 gauge wire. The short length of red wire that it connects to the solenoid is 12 gauge and the long red wire on the other side is 10 gauge. ALL of these are STRANDED wire. NEVER use monofilament (solid) wire for an automotive application except those VERY few applications where such wire was originally used.

[William C.]

Re: Addendum

Just an additional note, the "funny looking" insulation on the small fusible link wire is a special compound to contain the destruction when the link blows and prevent a "Thermel event" (FIRE)

[Joe L.]

Re: Addendum

Bill-----

I think that you also just answered the question regading the difference between "fusible link" wire and regular wire. I was always thinking in terms of differences in the metal wire, itself. I never considered that the difference could be in the insulation. I'll file this one away in the "memory banks" now.

[John H.]

Re: Addendum

Two features differentiate fusible links from ordinary stranded automotive wire; the special high-temperature insulation Joe mentioned that contains the "melting" when it fries, and VERY fine wire strands (and LOTS of them).