Screaming_chicken01

Hello I have a 2001 trans am ls1, I recently upgraded to the 145 amp truck alternator and it ran good and everything, I took it for a test drive and all was good. As soon as I got home to park it I put it in reverse and it shut off and smoke started coming out! I disconnected the battery and noticed the battery positive cable from the alternator to battery was fried! No blown fuses or anything. Should I have to upgrade the wiring??
T.I.A

G Atsma

Either the voltage regulator is bad, or you have a dead short somewhere.

Screaming_chicken01

I saw some power steering fluid on top of alternator could that have caused it?

RB04Av

No.

The wire that you're talking about is probably a fusible link (that's what it is in most vehicles); probably of a size appropriate to whatever alt the car came with; then if the batt was extremely discharged or the car "demanded" very high power for other reasons (big stereo, lots of lights, etc.), and for any/all of those reasons the larger alt's higher output exceeded the design limit of that FL, it would naturally get hot and eventually maybe blow.

So, from the info you gave, it's hard to tell if there's anything really "wrong" or not, other than that you maybe need to replace that wire, with one appropriate to the larger alt. A critical piece of data would be, the state of charge of the batt. I'm guessing that it was probably pretty drained, possibly because the old alt wasn't working, which was why you were changing it out in the first place?

Screaming_chicken01

I don't have a stereo or anything hooked up at the moment and the car doesnt have a fusible link, but my battery was pretty drained when I installed my alternator. I only jumped started the car before taking off, and I'm not sure if I should've upgraded the stock Guage wire of the battery to alternator, since I am using a bigger alternator

RB04Av

The alt to batt wire is a fusible link, as described.

Yes you should probably have upgraded it, as described. Now that it's farkled, time to upgrade it, as described

Screaming_chicken01

Should I check anything else before fixing and adding new wiring? Or should I fix anything else while I'm in there thanks!!

LilJayV10

iTrader: (39)

More than likely that cable rubbed against something and went dead short to ground.

Old Buzzard

We use #6 AGW and a fusible link on all charge wires, for that exact reason.
I'm now wiring that same alternator. Complete with a link next to the alt stud.
As for checks...
Take the alt to a shop and have it tested.
The volt regulator may have been full fielding and putting the 145A into the wiring for the entire trip.
Replace the wire.

Screaming_chicken01

What fusible link are yall running on it?
or where did you get it?

Old Buzzard

Car Fuses and Fusible Links Explained (lifewire.com)

RB04Av

Easiest way to get the right replacement would be, hit yer local buzzard nest, pry em off of a truck that came with the 145A alternator (RPO KG3 on the SPID label), and gank that wire.

wannafbody

iTrader: (2)

Is the standard red wire to the alternator on a 4th gen a fusible wire?