So, i did an intake manifold gasket and a tune up. I reconnected everything accordingly. But when i turned the key, NOTHING. I rolled the car outside to jump start it. So, i put jumper cables on her and tried again. Still nothing, after about 10 mins of banging on the starter and checking all my wires I decided to give up and try again tomorrow.

Instead, as a i shut my hood a few minutes later i saw smoke. Opened the hood and the blue wire that runs from the alternator to the first wire harness clip was Red hot and cooked the insulation off the wire. the whole wire all the way to the fuse block was toast.

This all happened outside and its snowing. I do not have the time right now (all happened at about 1am) to check everything to see if it toasted anything else. But, WHAT HAPPENED!!!!

I didn't touch any electrical aside from removing the plug wires to get the intake off. My best guess would be some spilled coolant caused a short somewhere? or when i put the wires along the valve covers again maybe i pinched two together or something stupid?

ANY ideas, I am ridiculously mad at this, i just got it all tuned and ready to get going, then outta left field, this happens. My luck.

Also, does anyone know where to look for a new wire harness. I apparently need the one from the alternator back that also includes Temp and oil sending units.

Couldnt find it at mancini, yearone, or summit. maybe i didn't look hard enough.

What brand and year of vehicle?

Sounds like the bulkhead connector terminal was corroded and caused high resistance and heat. Check the rest of the terminals during your fix. Get the connectors and make your own harness.

Look for a pinched wire. It sounds like something Hot has a good connection to Ground.

And,you can prevent a potential problem before you have one.Take a short length of fusible link,add a male and female connector and run it between the alternator and the blue wire.If you ever have a problem,the link will go before you burn up your harness.I found out the hard way 16yrs ago.

Well, im heading there now. Let you know what i find. And the fusible link idea is a good one! thanks.

well, i burnt it out pretty good all the way to the bulk head. Luckily It did not burn into the Ignition switch. The car is a 1973 dodge dart with a 67 273 and HEI ignition.

I will probably end up buying a new harness. But does anyone know what years are compatible or is it just a 73. I had somebody tell me that the wiring is pretty much 1 year compatibility but I was not sure, if anyone could school me on the wiring of these cars that'd be great. Thanks a bunch.

Same thing happened when my alternator fried a couple months ago luckily mine was only burnt to the splice. I was able to solder on new wires.

be sure and locate the dead short before you R&R the harness. EDIT do this by unhooking the battery and with your VOM on ohms check any place/every connection along the fried wire(s) until you find where there is continuity to ground as there's a dead short (to ground) somewhere there and or there was too much current flowing from that circuit being overloaded & if it was in the main feed from the batt in to the under dash then out to the alt it'd be the circuit being overloaded but iirc you said the field circuit I'd be pretty sure a dead short to ground rather than it being full fielded or near full fielded for an extended period of time especialy since it happened when the car was shut off. Good luck. Holler when you discover something.

Thats a great tip I will use it.Thanks