2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Electrical/Grounding issue

[grimesja]

Okay guys this is the senario. We were changing the ground cable to the battery out. I was under the truck attaching the ground to the grounding point, my helper put the ground on the battery and it shocked the dickens out of me. When we got the ground attached the intake started smoking, we quicklu disconnected the ground and the smoking stopped. I replaced the relays no joy, the heater stays hot. I installed a heater elimination kit. but I still get the code I think it is 382 for the heater relay and it will not go away.



Just so we are clear;

I got shocked installing the ground cable, I have removed and replaced the ground cable several times and have not duplicated the event.

the intake started smoking

I have removed the heaters and the relays

I still get the 382 code either with or without the relays.



Does anyone have suggestions or experience with these issues?

 

[charlessmith]

As far as I know, there is a heavy ground cable from each battery to the respective side of the block. So I assume from what you wrote, you had the ground cables off of both batteries, since connecting one ground cable caused sparks.

If the heaters are hot, I'd take the cables off the heater terminals on top of the manifold. That should cut out the heavy amperage drain while you figure this out.

Now the cause - you may have welded the relay contacts shut with the off and on again power connections, this sort of acts like it. After you have the cables disconnected from the heater connection bolts put a volt meter across the heater power cables. That will tell you when you 'turn the heaters off'. Then, I'd disconnect the wires from the heater relay... first the small wires that energize the relay. See if the power is now off to the heater cables. If not, take the rest of the wires off of the heater relay and check it out with an ohm meter. I think you may find it's always on.

If the heater power goes off when you disconnect the small wires that energize the relay, then something upstream is telling the heater relay to turn on. Trace it out to find the problem.

 

[Bob Cochran]

I agree with the below it is a comprehensive list of what to do.



As a note if you become the least resistance to ground you will be the path of current and get tingled!!!! I have had this happen and got hair curled and other times not so you just don't know. One way to prevent this is to use a heavy wire even battery jumper cable and with alligator clip to negative post and other end to a good ground point. Then connect your negative/ground from battery.



By the way if you use the jumper cable with alligator clips if something starts smoking faster to disconnect the connection tell you identify the problem. Do we all do this, NO, but not a bad idea.

As far as I know, there is a heavy ground cable from each battery to the respective side of the block. So I assume from what you wrote, you had the ground cables off of both batteries, since connecting one ground cable caused sparks.



If the heaters are hot, I'd take the cables off the heater terminals on top of the manifold. That should cut out the heavy amperage drain while you figure this out.



Now the cause - you may have welded the relay contacts shut with the off and on again power connections, this sort of acts like it. After you have the cables disconnected from the heater connection bolts put a volt meter across the heater power cables. That will tell you when you 'turn the heaters off'. Then, I'd disconnect the wires from the heater relay... first the small wires that energize the relay. See if the power is now off to the heater cables. If not, take the rest of the wires off of the heater relay and check it out with an ohm meter. I think you may find it's always on.



If the heater power goes off when you disconnect the small wires that energize the relay, then something upstream is telling the heater relay to turn on. Trace it out to find the problem.

 

[grimesja]

The issue is in the electrical path before the relays. The power to the number 1 relay stays hot. Which is why I had to remve the heaters and disconnect the power from the relay to the heater. Yes, I had tried swapping the relays, etc...