My daughter with the 03 GT called saying she heard a "screeching" sound after she started the car. Drove it anyways with the noise. She was just going up the street and when she shut the car off the screeching kept on with some smell.

I was out of town so I didn't get a look at it until today and definitely electrical. A little discoloration on the Alt. Batt totally dead so I tried to jump it to see what I had. Cables immediately started to smoke so I pulled em off.

I'm thinking the starter/solenoid shorted/fused to ground and burnt up the alt and drained the batt.

Any other ideas?

Have to tow it to the house tonight and get to work in the AM.

 

Yikes, that sounds nasty! Also check the cable that goes directly to the starter and the one to the starter solenoid. If they were moved out of their brackets and left hanging around, they can get damaged due to rubbing with metal parts and cause a short. Other thing that comes to my mind, the alternator wire that goes to the battery (the one that attaches to the alternator nut) can also short that bad if damaged, and the actual wire terminal on the alternator. Hope you figure it out.

 

Will do. I'm an aircraft maintenance guy so inspection for chaffing is inherent to any job.... In theory....

 

maybe the starter stuck on...had a old capri that did it, noise was from the starter bendix gear turning about a million rpm after the motor started, went to shut it off and the thing kept grinding- guessing running off the ballast resistor bypass circuit...had to yank the battery cable off under load to kill it- cables werent melted, but hot as heck... by the time I got one off the battery was nearly dead...bendix bearing/gear were damaged from the speed, and the flywheel ring gear looked a bit worn...

 

Where are you stationed at? Good luck with the electrical issues!

 

Was Whiteman...I just retired.

 

Congratulations Chief and thank you for your service.

 

It was the starter alright. The solenoid had fused the gear out and it was constantly on. Burned up the starter/sel assembly and took out the alt and battery in the process. Expensive, but no wiring damage.

Thank God the previous owner left out that one starter bolt. Don't now how i would have gotten that beech out...

And thanks harristotle. It was my honor.

 

Good to hear you fixed it