I was driving my 88 TII today and my radio started to cut out, something that had happened before and soon after my car left me sit (ended up being a bad alternator). Anyway, I turned off all the electronics and barely got her home, I opened up the hood and saw that the electrical connector that bolts onto my alternator was bright red! I have no idea why it is doing this, but bottom line is that my battery is not charging, my alternator is good, and the bolt on the alternator is burning with electricity. Someone please tell me what the problem could be and how I can fix it. thanks
kev

 

You have a bad ground to the engine, and possible some burnt diodes in the rectifer of the Alt.

 

you may have a short in the wire from your alt to the starter. check that

 

Not to be ignorant but too bad you don't have pictures.
Exhaust manifold glowing red, turbo glowing red, alternator glowing red.
Man ricers would idol you. Start putting little LEDs and neons in their engines. "Yo its hi performance red" "Well I have Higher performance pink yo" "So I'm gonna get V-Tec white"

 

I've seen a whole alternater get red hot. we were staring at if for a few mins lauging in a shop then sparks started coming out LOL, so we shut it down. I can't remember what it was.

 

Awhile ago I noticed that my voltage meter was just above 12 volts,{usually about 14}. When I got home I opened my hood and the alternator wire was smoking at the connection! To get a better look at what was going on, I removed the alternator. After close inspection I found that the little piece that comes up from the back of the alternator that the wire bolts to was melted around the bolt. Ater chipping away the melted plastic I found that it was loose. As with any electrical conection that is loose it was creating heat from arcing. After I cleaned it and tightened it up it`s been fine ever sence!! As for the ground, It could be I guess, but usually the loose point is where the heat is!!!

Just my 2$ worth!!

HUMMER

 

The bolts are where the alt body grounds to the engine.

 

thanks a lot guys. I'll do some inspecting tommorrow, but more suggestions always help so keep em coming.
thanks again
kev

 

i had a problem with my battery terminal getting so hot (and heat transferring to the rest of the battery) that it would refuse to start the car untill it cooled down. the cable going to that terminal would get red hot also. how did i fix it? tightened the connection from the terminal to the cable. it was loose and the added resistance made it overheat.