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VT clicks when key turned but neg battery wire smoking.

JACKO4590

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Ok. So we just did a trans swap with another VT trans as the current one lost all gears.

Pretty sure we did it all correctly and have everything tighten up and plugged it. Feel free to suggest any common faults with these diy trans swap.

So all done right and went to go turn the key to start it up and the starter motor clicks but I noticed the negative wire on the battery glowing red and then smoking a lot. The starter only clicks once as well until the key is backed off and turned again.
What is the common fault here? Did the starter motor get destroyed somehow when changing the trans?

Thanks.
 

vc commodore

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Sounds like the earth isn't earthing properly...

Check the earth connections are clean and tight....Make sure there isn't any breakages or freying with the earths.....
 

_R_J_K_

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Or it sounds like the positive is shorting somewhere. Positive terminal of the starter would be a good place to start looking, can sometimes be something small like the angle of the ring terminal on the cable making the exposed section of the positive lead rub on something else.
 

JACKO4590

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Ok I’ll rip the starter motor out again this weekend and have another look at it. We didn’t undo any wires. Just unbolted it and moved it above the steering rack while we removed the trans. So I do hope it’s just the starter motor and not something else we stuffed up.
 

VT2Commie

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Sounds like wiring has been pinched between the transmission and engine. go back over the work.
 
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