very hot ground cable at battery

[JohnJohn]

I have been working on my recently acquired 70 and took it for a 5 min test drive in the woods. When i got back i went to pull the negative cable off the battery and it was so hot it burned my hand.
The ground runs to the block. The positive runs to the starter solenoid and there is a smaller positive wire that is connected to an electric fan and an electric fuel pump.

Any idea why my ground is getting so hot?

 

[brianstrange]

I have been working on my recently acquired 70 and took it for a 5 min test drive in the woods. When i got back i went to pull the negative cable off the battery and it was so hot it burned my hand.
The ground runs to the block. The positive runs to the starter solenoid and there is a smaller positive wire that is connected to an electric fan and an electric fuel pump.

Any idea why my ground is getting so hot?

Check for bad connections on the block and battery. Also check power connections. Was the positive post hot too? There should be another ground from the engine to the chassis.

 

[broncnaz]

X2 bad connection is the number one cause. next may be to small of a ground cable

 

[JohnJohn]

The positive was cold. I will check the block connection and run a couple more grounds.

 

[Viperwolf1]

If the middle of the ground cable was hot that cable is bad.

Sent from my MOTWX435KT using Tapatalk 2

 

[patterdale]

Replace the ground cable with a bit bigger one and cut the old one apart. You will most likely find it corroded inside somewhere causing higher resistence. A cable can look perfectly fine on the outside and be all but destroyed inside.

 

[JohnJohn]

Thanks guys. I am going to replace it and add more grounds. I did see that the PO warped tape around one section. I will cut it open but I know you all nailed it.