Starter fried, melted wires. - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

kwackbars · 09-03-2009, 12:36 AM

Hello,

I had a faulty starter which must have shorted out, because it continued to spin with the car on or off. I unfortunately left it spinning while I was outside murrays part store while purchasing the new starter.

This caused my starter to get so hot that the positive wire got so hot that all the plastic coating around it melted all the way up to the battery! (There was smoke billowing out from under my hood when I was leaving the store)

Now the battery is dead (most likely from the positive cable grounding itself out on other wires).

So I replaced the starter, and wired a new positive cable (using 5 gauge speaker wire), and a new negative wire spliced into the connector (I think 12 gauge).

It does not start, I am pretty sure there must be some wires melted in the wiring harness that may have touched the hot cable, and may be disrupting things.

Whats my best course of action.

1. Remove my wiring harness, open it up, inspect all wires, and replace melted ones with new ones. Also, purchase the correct starter positive cable from a part store.

2. Remove my wiring harness and swap it with a junk yard harness from another corolla/prism.

3. Check my fuses, get a new battery, and try to start it again?

Any help would be appreciated, I do not see anywhere online to buy a engine wiring harness. I saw one page with instructions how to remove the whole harness and ecu but I am not sure how much I actually have to remove.

Thanks

I have a 1997 Toyota Corolla CE 7AFE with A245E automatic transmission.

kevmac · 09-03-2009, 08:48 PM

you are asking whether to check your fuse? Your battery is dead and your wondering why it won't start?

Get a volt meter and check the battery voltage. 12-14.5 volts is a range. Charge it and recheck. Harbor freight has both tools for under $20 total. check the fuses in the car and in the bay.

kwackbars · 09-03-2009, 11:31 PM

I understand the confusion about my post, let me be more clear.

You are right, I do need to check my fuses but I already tried to charge the battery at murrays and they said its a bad battery (its only a year old, but probably died during the meltdown). So a new battery is in the plan. When I tried to start it, I had my friends car connected up with jumper cables, so I had power to the vehicle, just no start. I also know I need to check my starter relay.

Given that I do all of that, and I can get it to start. My more specific question is, What do I do about the melted wires that are in the engine harness that were running next to the power wire?

Today I called a bunch of junk yards and I have found some close by yards with 7th gen corollas and they say I can pull the harness out for 75 dollars if I do it myself, or more if they do it.

Should I replace the wire harness, or try to fix the one that may be melted, or should I just try to drive my car with a harness that might have melted wires(I don't want to do this, I want my car fixed right)

Also about the harness, I know it should be the same swap with any geo prism or toyota corolla from 93-97 as long as it is the automatic transmission. My question about the harness is, Do I have to use a harness from the four speed transmission, or will the three speed connect up the same?

Thank you

iToaster · 09-04-2009, 12:35 AM

The harness has to be from a 4 speed auto due to the 4 speed being electronically controlled whilst the 3 speed is not. I'd go ahead and replace the harness, melted wires never lead to good things.

kwackbars · 09-04-2009, 12:52 AM

Thanks for the info on the transmission.

I agree on changing the wiring harness, it sounds like fun to me!

I am going to search for a guide or help on removing wiring harness as my haynes manual does not go over this.

Anyone have any good threads or pages off hand about suggestions and tips for removing a wiring harness?

Thanks

speedy25 · 09-04-2009, 04:58 PM

Check things carefully. Only the positive lead is carrying all that current and only wires around it may be affected. UNLESS it wasnt the starter solenoid and it was something in the solenoid wiring or the ignition switch. I had a NEW Nissan starter go into meltdown because of a bad solenoid, so that sort of thing does happen.

-SP

JStephen · 01-26-2011, 11:30 PM

Kwakbars: did you ever get yours fixed? I think I did the same thing when a back massager shorted out in the cigarette lighter. I don't know which wiring harness to replace (it's a Tundra). Toyota won't touch this. I need help. I think it's too dangerous to drive so I have an expensive doorstop.

maestro123 · 05-29-2011, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwackbars

Hello,

I had a faulty starter which must have shorted out, because it continued to spin with the car on or off. I unfortunately left it spinning while I was outside murrays part store while purchasing the new starter.

This caused my starter to get so hot that the positive wire got so hot that all the plastic coating around it melted all the way up to the battery! (There was smoke billowing out from under my hood when I was leaving the store)

Now the battery is dead (most likely from the positive cable grounding itself out on other wires).

So I replaced the starter, and wired a new positive cable (using 5 gauge speaker wire), and a new negative wire spliced into the connector (I think 12 gauge).

It does not start, I am pretty sure there must be some wires melted in the wiring harness that may have touched the hot cable, and may be disrupting things.

Whats my best course of action.

1. Remove my wiring harness, open it up, inspect all wires, and replace melted ones with new ones. Also, purchase the correct starter positive cable from a part store.

2. Remove my wiring harness and swap it with a junk yard harness from another corolla/prism.

3. Check my fuses, get a new battery, and try to start it again?

Any help would be appreciated, I do not see anywhere online to buy a engine wiring harness. I saw one page with instructions how to remove the whole harness and ecu but I am not sure how much I actually have to remove.

Thanks

I have a 1997 Toyota Corolla CE 7AFE with A245E automatic transmission.

I drive a 1996 Toyota Camry, and I had the same exact thing happen to me yesterday.

I tried starting my car, and when I finally got it started, the engine would not turn off even when i took the keys out of the ignition!

The starter was shorted out, and like the OP, got so hot that it fried. White smoke was billowing out of my hood, and my car battery drained out as well.

I had to get it towed to a mechanic and what he did was change out the starter for a brand new one. So far so good.

wei · 05-31-2011, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maestro123

I drive a 1996 Toyota Camry, and I had the same exact thing happen to me yesterday.

I tried starting my car, and when I finally got it started, the engine would not turn off even when i took the keys out of the ignition!

The starter was shorted out, and like the OP, got so hot that it fried. White smoke was billowing out of my hood, and my car battery drained out as well.

I had to get it towed to a mechanic and what he did was change out the starter for a brand new one. So far so good.

So what did you do? Run out and disconnect the battery?

94_Rolla_Guy · 06-02-2011, 12:25 AM

you guys crack me up your watching your starter crank and watching your electrical melt down, now your like how do you fix it.... Should have yanked a battery terminal.... would have saved alot of trouble!!

the same thing happened to me years ago, i let the starter restart the car, then poped the hood, and yanked the negative terminal, and killed the works. Then tapped the starter with the lug wrench, de-sticking the stuck solenoid! stuck the terminal back on started the car and about a week later replaced the starter,