Hi there,
I signed up a couple of months ago, but haven't really been on much recently. I wanted to say thanks, reading you guys posts while I was deployed really reminded me of what it was like to be at home, even if I didn't have a car to work on. But, I digress... I purchased a 77 Camaro LT on ebay, while I was deployed.
Well, I'm back now, reintegrated with my family and I've picked up the car/begun working on it. (Note to self: Never buy something just based off of pics). Anyway...I got back a week ago, picked up the car last tuesday, and have finally been able to start tearing into it. It's got some issues, (go figure for $800), but nothing that cant be worked through. I'm overlooking the rust for now, because the sooner I get it running the less griping I hear from the wife.
Well, It wouldn't start. Battery dead from sitting for a year or more. I suspected the starter was bad because it wouldn't even crank with a batt charger strait to the starter. Well I got the starter off, and, lo and behold, the starter turns over...really well actually.
Anyway, while I had the hood up for more light, I noticed a couple of wires cut...pics attached.
It's been a few years since I had a project car, but I think theres a two prong lead on the right side of the alternator...I cant remember where it goes, but I think those are the wires that are c ut. If mempory serves, not ha ving those 2 wires attached will foul up the whole cycle. I'm typing alot, so I'm gonna post this, then figure out how to attach pics. I hope some folks are on right now, because my typing is bad, my comp skills are worse, and I will require much help over the next few months (to include forum technical skills). The upside to all my failings is that I don't quit...ever. I have decent mechanical skills (lots of redneck enginering tho), and if I can remember the stuff I learned 20 yrs ago about cars, I can be a big help to the younger guys getting into muscle cars.
so, here we go...pics to follow in a minute...if i can figure that out haha
.

 

Ok, here are the pics of the cut wires/alternator.
Thoughts???Comments???


I don't think that worked... Help?

 

Help???Please???I'm really at a loss. I cant figure out how to upload a picture, I thought I was a dinosaur, now I know it.
Well, gonna call it a night. Wife extremely angry now. This ought to be festive...
Help with pic upload would be much appreciated!!! I'll be back on bright and early.

I hope you are laughing. This thread is not a joke, it's my life mixed with grease, a rusty Camaro, my psycho nut-case wife who believes cars are only for transportation, my beautiful 8 yr old daugher (who doesn't know I'm already planning her first car), and...theres some stuff you can actually fix, but it's gonna be funny anyway.


I really hope somebody reads this, cuz I really need some help...mechanically and technically

 

Get a shop manual, haynes is a good one, which will have the wiring diagram to help trace wiring out. I have a 77 I am working on also, what color is yours?

 

Dark metallic red,
Yours?
I got a disgusting, but intact interior same color

 

First off welcome to the forum.To post pics,get an account through photobucket.com the account is free,then you just load your pics to that site and copy the link at the bottom of the pic then when you hit the add image button on this site,you enter the link to your pic.I know exactly what you mean about the wife,mine is the same way,when i first bought my camaro a year ago it ran,but i didnt drive it because i wanted to start fixing it up,so that was the first thing for her to complain about,having a car that i dont drive haha,then she really hit the roof when i started taking parts off and it wouldnt run anymore(pulled some engine parts)then it was the doing bodywork in the driveway,now i have a garage to put it in so i think she went into the dont see it so forget it mode,but only time will tell haha.

 

B.M.
Thanks for the photobucket tip. I'm now signed up and and attempting to add a couple of pics...
http://s825.photobucket.com/albums/zz179/rossredcamaro/
There are 2 pics of the alternator/wires in question and just a couple of the car. Any thoughts/comments would be welcome. I'm getting ready to go buy a new battery and have the starter checked out, but am pretty sure the loose wires next to the alternator are going to give me some grief. I'm half tempted to just connect them to the alternator, but don't want to fry something.

 

While messing around under the hood of my camaro last night, I got the sneaking suspicion that the engine had been out of the car. So, I copied the numbers that I could find. Well I googled chevy engine codes this morning, and if my eyes do not deceive me...the original 305 has been replaced with a 400 from a b or g body car.
The codes on the front passenger side of the block are 11D187157 & T05250LK
The casting number on the back is 3951511.
I would really appreciate someone else to take a look at these numbers and help me confirm my suspicions. I got the first number partially decoded that one is mostly just Chevy, 1971, Doraville and production number I think. The second one really has me perplexed. I have no I dea what the T and LK stand for. I think the rest of that number if i read it right means may 25.
According to the engine code decoder the casting number (third one) if I read it right is 400 4 bolt main from a 1970-1973. I'm really praying I read that right, and the camaro gods threw me a bone.

 

I'll look at the wires on mine and see if i can figure out where those are supposed to go,they may have put an aftermarket altenator on there like jegs or summit sells that only requires one wire,but i'll look anyway.Overall the car really doesnt look to bad especially for $800,i gave $1500 for mine and i have just about the same amount of bodywork to do.As for the 400 that sounds like you scored a good deal there to,i've never had one but have heard they are strong motors and they are getting harder to find,at least in my area they are getting harder and harder to find a good one anyway.

 

Welcome home and thanks for your service!
Those wires go to the alternator. The large #10 wire goes to the 1/4" terminal and should be from the battery. Take a look at that wire that's going under the heater hoses with the rubber cover on it. That should be connected to the cut heavy wire. Maybe it's just sitting loose under there. You'll see the same color wire connected to the positive bat. terminal. There should be 1 or 2 small wires that connect to a female plastic block that plugs into the back of the alternator. Look for that connector or the male spades on the back of the alternator. If there's two, then your car should have two wires. One may be up inside that corrugated wire sheath. These wires control the regulator.
None of these wires will stop the car from cranking over, but they will stop the alternator from charging the battery and regulating voltage.
If you check the wiring to the starter with a 12 v. test light, with a good battery you should have 12v. at the battery cable to ground, and when the key is turned to the start position you should get 12v. at one of the small terminals on the solenoid. If it's not there, then you have another problem.
A battery charger wont normally turn an engine over unless it's a big honkin charger, and if your battery is really dead it might be shorted internally and drawing down the charger so it wont even allow a bump or click. I would start by using a good battery from one of your other cars, or get a new one. Be sure to disconnect the battery when you're done working on the car if you haven't got things working, as a problem might kill a new one if left connected overnight and not fixed.
Good luck!