HELP!! Engine fire....alternator battery connector shorted to engine bracket

[adambilyeu]

84-85 guru's....I need help fast. I found the alternator batter connector shorted directly to the engine bracket that I'm guessing is used when you pull the engine out... The bracket was loose and came in contact with that screw on the back of the alternator...burnt up the batter wire, and melted the flex loom and melted the insulation off some of the wires....Anyway there was a small fire...the hood insulator shows signs of it....Here's where I need help....I pulled off all the melted stuff and 3 wires came off a sensor behind the water pump above the oil filter....I don't know for sure what sensor it is...knock sensor? Anyway...I don't know what wire goes where...I have a brown, grey, and beige with black stripe that all connect to the sensor but I don't know which wire goes where...can someone please help? I'm just lucky I didn't lose my whole car....

 

[adambilyeu]

OK...I just found a pic of the sensor....it's the oil pressure sensor. Anyone know the connections? What color wire goes where?

 

[novaderrik]

here are a couple of pics i just took of my car.. one shows the orientation of the sensor unplugged, the other shows which wires goes where when it's plugged in.
your sensor might be twisted from where mine is, but as long as you compensate for that and get the wires to the right terminals it will work.
that second pic isn't as clear as it looks on the car.. the white wire is on the left, orange in the middle, orange with black stripe on the right.

 

[adambilyeu]

Novaderrik you are awesome! I really appreciate you helping me out...that exactly what I needed. I lost the plastic cap that covers the wires..I guess it melted. I'm having to replace the battery wire to the alternator, replace the hood insulator, tape up the wires, etc....I still can't believe I didn't lose my car. The alternator wire ended up breaking in two which stopped the short to ground...God was watching over me...I'm sure it could have been a lot worse...Thanks again for the pic!...

To all you 84-85 owners....check the engine hoist bracket and make sure it's tight so it doesn't come in contact with the screw on the back of the alternator! I'll take some pics of the damage.

 

[TurboBuRick]

There is suppose to be a plastic safety cover on the alternator bolt.

Lucky you didn't loose the entire car.

 

[HOTSIX]

Shud be a plastic copver that snaps on the rear of the alt to cover the connection - protecting it.

Grab yourself one to prevent this from happening again....

 

[novaderrik]

if you want to get the plug back on it- and you should- pretty much every GM car and truck with an idiot light and electric fuel pump that was built in the 80's used that same oil sender and plug with probably the same colored wires.. should be a freebie part in a junkyard. just bring a set of wire cutters and snip one out of something..