We recently re-did my Ranger, and we swapped in a crown vic alt in place of the 4-cyl alt, and not the wire coming from the starter solenoid going to the ign. box smokes. What would be causing it to smoke?

Originally posted by 302 Ranger
What would be causing it to smoke?

Ah. Gee. It's melting and burning maybe?? Something is extremely wrong and you are going to smoke your whole truck if you keep running it like that. I don't know anything about CV alternators or if they are even compatible. Discontinue use of it until you fix it.

the trucks been driven 2 times since its been put back together in 2 months...thats the main reason its not been driven. This problem just occured not too long ago, we don't know where to start

Wires touching something they shouldn't maybe? Or maybe a wire hooked to something it shouldn't be? I'd say follow the wires and double check them, start simple. I'm not up on alternators but maybe the two aren't compatible with each other?

it is grounding out, and your wires are melting. You are goin to have to trace it out and replace those wires.

First off, what are you calling an 'Ignition Box"?
Does this wire "smoke" all the time when the truck is turned on, or just when cranking to start?
Need some basic information to help you out here. Conditions at the time of smoking would be good.
If the CV alternator has the same plugs as the original, it should perform normally. Starter solenoid should be completely out of the circuit once you let go of the key and the engine is running.

sounds like it's either grounding out or maybe it's just not a big enough gauge wire.

Sorry i've not kept up with this thread, my com was crashed through Dec and I didn't get on much elsewhere. Now, Used to, the motor had a 4cyl alt on it, cranked fine, etc. Now, I put a Crown Vic setup(alt, ps, etc) and the wires started smoking. We talked to one guy and he said to cut the connectors off of the electronic box and just wire them together, which we've not. However, we did put a bigger wire on it, and it did stop smoking, wire was still kinda hot dad said. Any other suggestions?

I have the same problem and to tell you the truth i'm cluelss. it has happend 3 times in the last year. the most recent time was tonight. before it has just fried the one wire just before the solenoid. I have just cut out the fried part and wired it abck together. it affects absoloutly nothing but my ability to the key on start. i can jump my solenoid with a screwdriver and everything is absoloutly fine. is it a black wire that comes from a bundle with the red/light blue saftey switch wire? cuz that's the little bugger for me. someone please tell me it goes to the alt, because I have looked in my haynes manual and on the internet and have found no info whatsoever. if it's the case i'm just going to make it a larger gauge and put a fuse in there. I'm tired of changin a fried wire.

Ok, me and my dad fixed mine tonight. This wire comes off of the solenoid and goes over to the ign. box(has 3 plugs. What happened was, on one side of the plug, it was cool, on the side going to the solenoid, it would burn your hand. We cut the plug out and he tied the wires in together, i'll have to find out tomorrow which wires went where, and the problem was solved. We put a bigger gauge wire going to the solenoid, so that helped to. I'll let you know tomorrow exactly which wires were tied in.

cool but I found my problem today, had nothing to do witht eh ignition. my problem is a fried NSS. the smokin wire was a part of the headlight harness. grounding out.

Aaahhh....well, kinda weird we both have Crown Vic setups and kinda the same problem.