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I was putting the car back online after about 12 months down with body work and repaint. The car ran fine when parked but starting up I got a short from the battery to the starter to the alternator and fried those wires. Replaced same and a new alternator but still have the short. Ground from alternator to block looks ok any suggestions on where to start? Its a 1980 e-12.

chrishamman wrote:I was putting the car back online after about 12 months down with body work and repaint. The car ran fine when parked but starting up I got a short from the battery to the starter to the alternator and fried those wires. Replaced same and a new alternator but still have the short. Ground from alternator to block looks ok any suggestions on where to start? Its a 1980 e-12.

Do some continuity checks without hooking up the battery. The positive lead just goes from the battery to the starter and then to the alternator. If it is continuous to the body (ground) at any point....you have to find it.

Did it happen when you hit the starter, or simply when you hooked up the battery...or when you turned the ignition on?

It shorts when I hook the battery positive on.

chrishamman wrote:It shorts when I hook the battery positive on.

Sounds dangerous:)

That may be easier to track down, since you can isolate this simple system.

Remove the positive wire to the rest of the car (the small one) from your testing and do the continuity checks on the battery/starter/alternator system. Let us know what you find.

will do, and thanks

I've gotta think you have the big red wire to the alternator on the wrong post. Battery disconnected, ohm it out. Next lift the red wire and ohm it out again? If it's no longer shorted, that's where the problem is. Or take a pic and post it.