I am so close to having the engine ready for start attempt, or at least a turn over. I went to walmart to get some gear oil for the transmission. I figured I would start marking things off my checklist. I bought 3 quarts of 75w-90 gear oil and some snacks. Got home and poured it all into the shifter slot. I still need to bolt that down.
Next I went to install the drivers seat. I figured it was a good idea since I will need to bleed the clutch and that would be a pain with no seat. So I threw the seat in and plugged it in. Realizing it was as far forward as it would go, and it being a power seat I went to hook up the battery to move it back. This was a big mistake.
I started going wrong here. I didn’t have all my ground straps hooked up properly, and didn’t have the alternator installed or wired. I grabbed the fresh charged battery, connected the positive, and then the ground and as I did the alternator wire started sparking on the intake manifold. Big oops. Then I saw some smoke come out.
I go around to check the dash, no lights, turn the key – no power. This was my worst fear. Figuring I fried every piece of electronics in the car I thought the worst. Then realized that maybe I just blew a fuse. So I checked the fuse box in the engine compartment. They looked ok. Then I checked the fuse block in the kick panel. Pulled out every single one and they were fine. Went inside to take a look at the TSRM and see where the ground points are and why this happened.
I went back out to the car, put the alternator on, tightened the ground wires and buttoned everything up. Checked the dash, still nothing. I decided to give the engine compartment one more check. Sure enough the 100amp alternator fuse was blown. What a relief that was. So now I am just hoping that means that’s the only damage done. I also destroyed what I thought was the fusebox trying to get it out, but it’s a fuseable link so it is bolted in, not pop in like the other fuses. I got lucky again. I will pick one up tomorrow and cross my fingers
