Please explain to me why my alternator wire to battery keeps burning at the post!

[jazdrumz]

So I've searched and searched since I started having these issues but to no avail. So I have to make a post please bear with me...

Alright, one night I was driving my sick 89 Accord DX home at night and suddenly my battery light came on and everything got really bright. I actually tried to turn on my brights and blew out the sealed beam headlights. The battery was being charged at over 17v. That was fun... Anyway, I figured it was probably the voltage regulator. Since the voltage regulator was inside the alternator I decided to replace the alternator itself Instead of trying to replace just the voltage regulator. I ordered a remanufactured alternator off of Rockauto for 40 bucks and threw it on. Fixed everything.

Until...

My battery light started flashing every once in a while when I got on the brakes (brake lights). The light eventually came on and stayed on, and the lights started dimming. The car didn't start the next time I went to drive it. I thought great, I got a bad alternator. So I got under the hood and started inspecting the alternator and wires and quickly found that the eyelet piece that slides over the post on the back of the alternator was completely corroded and melted apart. I thought to myself at the time that the connection was just loose because I was at such an odd angle putting it back on. I cut and stripped and crimped and got a new eyelet piece on and slid it on the post after cleaning up all the corrosion. Worked great.

Until...

It happened again. Repeat stripping and crimping. Worked great.

Until...

The wire burned again. Tonight.

I am lost. I checked the grounds and didn't see anything, but I'm not quite sure where all the check. Not familiar with how all of the wires lay on the accords. If anyone has an idea of whats up and could lead me in the right direction of where to start I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks so much!!

Oh, and happy Thanksgiving.

[Dr_Snooz]

My '76 Accord did something similar every time I turned on the A/C fan. It would melt the end off the fuse, along with a goodly portion of the fuse box around it. I tried replacing the fuse terminals, but it didn't help. I never did solve the problem, but I have come up with a hypothesis in the years since. The hypothesis is that there is too much resistance in the wire ...somewhere. It could be a wire connector or the wire itself. I believe that white wire takes power to the underhood fuse box. If I were you, I would replace the wire and all connectors. Inspect all connections thoroughly. Look for any pitting or corrosion (which it sounds like you have). If you find any, sandpaper or emory cloth it down to clean, smooth metal. Pitted connections are tailor made for the kind of heat and resistance you are describing. Finally, coat all wire connections with di-electric grease and shield them from moisture and dirt as much as possible.

Let us know how it goes.

[Oldblueaccord]

Besides what Dr snooz said you could on the quick run a large gauge wire from the large post of th alt to the main of the battery. That will take the load off the one running to the fuse box.

Id verify that the main fuse is not corroded it should really blow before the wire melts.

EDIT: also there is a manual to download here on this web site.

[2ndGenGuy]

What these guys said.... I would add to that, it's a good time now to re-do all your ground wires and power wires from the battery. If any of those are shit, power could be all flowing through that one wire and burning it up. It'll save you a lot of other hassles down the road.

[jazdrumz]

Okay I know it's been a while but I didn't have a whole lot of time to work on it until recently. I think I know what happened. I just replace the alternator with a new one from oreilly's this time instead of rockauto. Noticed the it had a warning to disconnect the negative battery cable before installation and it reminded me that the FIRST time I went to replace that alternator, I forgot to do that and it sparked at me when I went to plug it in the first time. I hope I didn't short a cable somewhere and it was just the alternator I messed up. For now its okay, but now I have to deal with the next issue which a low idle/stall coming to a stop when warm.

[JJ'sAccord]

Okay I know it's been a while but I didn't have a whole lot of time to work on it until recently. I think I know what happened. I just replace the alternator with a new one from oreilly's this time instead of rockauto. Noticed the it had a warning to disconnect the negative battery cable before installation and it reminded me that the FIRST time I went to replace that alternator, I forgot to do that and it sparked at me when I went to plug it in the first time. I hope I didn't short a cable somewhere and it was just the alternator I messed up. For now its okay, but now I have to deal with the next issue which a low idle/stall coming to a stop when warm.

i have exact same low idle problem by the way.... only when its warm. sometimes the idle is so lower it will cause my ecu to throw a low oil pressure warning... all the research ive done here... leads me to a vacuum leak some where. when i resolve it(which i will soon) i will post a thread about it and ill shoot you a message to check it out. i cannot even adjust idle with idle screw without it resorting back to its low idle some where around 500-650 RPM. its even worse when i let off clutch it about dies (drops to maybe 100-150RPM) then will try to correct back to normal idle then finally will settle to about 500-650 RPM again. its been going on since ive owned the car just progressivly getting worse. so once i resolve it ill let you know! and you too if you solve it before i get a chance let me know!