question,do we have a short living in our car

[charles=fla]

helped install a 6v batt, in i elderly friends car, really nice 29 briggs 4 dr, older restration, but when i hooked up batt cables i noticed sone arcing going on..everything off, could he have a wire somewhere grounding, gwess he will find out if batt goes dead in a week or two,,he dont drive much..i need to help him more, if any help can be givin me...thank you..charles..)..

[spike]

I dont think you should just let it go....you could go back and find a file of ashes where his fine car sits.....I would un hook the battery until you have time to check it out and then I would put a fuse in the system for him. Just my thinking

[Doug Linden]

Could be something as simple as a stuck Cutout relay.

[Gary WA]

If you have sparking while attaching cables to battery you definately have a short some where! i would disconnect battery till you find it or you will drain the battery.

[Dennis L Oberer]

IMHO something is drawing power as there should be NO spark when connecting a battery cable. It may not be a short, it may just be something is on that should be off.

Look to the cutout on the generator, or the ignition switch (pop outs are famous for this), or a poor starter switch on top of the starter, or something as simple as a stuck brake light switch (another famous place), or a poor light switch mechanism at the bottom of the steering column. All of these are easy to find and cure.

It is my understanding that when the A is sitting with the ignition switch OFF there should be NO power running to anything on the car.

Let us know what you find.

Dennis L Oberer
Green Bay WI

[Mike V. Florida]

I would not wait, check it now.

[Ray A from PA]

Check it out now, maybe you will find ashes, we sure hope not!

[Tom Wesenberg]

Remove the light/horn wires from the terminal on the cutout. Now see if the battery cable still sparks. If not, you have traced the short to the lights or horn. Unplug each headlight and see if it still sparks. This will trace it to each headlight. Remove the horn cover and pull the two wires and see if it still sparks. Remove the power wire from the brakes switch and see if it still sparks.

Model A's have a simple circuit for lights, horn, charging, ignition, and starting. It's just a matter of tracking the short to one of those 5 circuits, then track it down by process of elimination, like when you unplug a headlight.

I'm sure you weren't serious when you said we'll see if he has a dead battery in a couple weeks. A short causing a dead battery is not only bad for the battery, but as mentioned could burn the car and building.