My 02 Grand Prix SE developed a very major short at the alternator, which burnt an inch or so of the power wire going into it, and nearly melted the bolt in half to which it was attached. I cut the damaged wire off and installed a new terminal on the end of it.
When I first went to start the car after replacing the alternator, the engine wouldn't start. I waited five minutes and tried again, this time the engine started right up. However, the third time I got in the car to drive it, I turned my key, the starter clicked once, and all of my interior and dash lights went dead (and the engine wouldn't start).
The battery was recently tested, and is only a year old. My grounds at the battery and starter are good. All of my fuses also are good.
When I ground my battery charger directly to the battery, the meter on the charger bounced all over going from dead to fully charged and back. When I ground the charger to the vehicle frame, it showed a full charge on the battery.
Could a fusible link be my problem? If so, how do I find them, how do I test them, and are they difficult to replace?
I love cars, but my mechanical skills are limited. Changing out the alternator was probably the limit of my abilities. If you have ideas, I would appreciate them in as much detail and laymans terms as possible.
Thank you, I really appreciate it!
