NY-B61 Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I'm hoping our resident experts can help a relatively new guy like myself get to the bottom of this. My B61, END673T, was converted to a 12v negative ground system some time ago. I got it with a 1100 cca@32 battery which has worked fine for three years. I tried to start her the other day, the starter not spinning quite fast enough to start the engine and the battery seeming to get weaker with each try of 5 cranks/revolutions followed by a 30 second wait. I figured the battery had reached the end of it's life butLike a complete idiotI didn't meter the battery. I bought a replacement at NAPA instead, 1035 cca@32 was the closest I could find. When I cranked the engine this time, it was still slow, got progressively slower with each attempt and then I smelled smoke. The negative battery terminal had turned to molten lead and the battery casing had partially melted. As an idiot afterthoughtI decided to meter the original 'dying' battery and found a cheerful 12.59 volts. I should have stopped there. After reconnecting it and cranking, the same thing occured. It was the positive battery terminal that liquified this time, the stainless attaching bolt falling on the battery casing and doing the China Syndrome thing into the battery acid where it died with a sulfurous hiss. Any ideas? I had the cables connected to the correct terminals. Would a short in the starter winding cause this?Thank you! Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40903-molten-lead-minor-smokeshow-b61-question/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex g Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 I have had similar happen with weak batteries I think the low batteries draw too much amperage and melt terminals you should be OK if you have all good ones and make sure connections are tight and clean 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40903-molten-lead-minor-smokeshow-b61-question/#findComment-296712 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post gearhead204 Posted July 15, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted July 15, 2015 poor connections / resistance! inspect and clean all connections starter,solenoid,starter ground, engine to frame ground,and battery to frame ground. If that dont do it pull the starter and check out the contacts in the end of the solenoid, also if you have them bolt on cable ends putsome good crimp on or solder on ends on the cables. be sure to inspect the cables for swollen spots,that would indicate internal cable failure. 3 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40903-molten-lead-minor-smokeshow-b61-question/#findComment-296720 Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY-B61 Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 Thank you for the answers. I'll have a chance to take a closer look this weekend. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40903-molten-lead-minor-smokeshow-b61-question/#findComment-296725 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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