okay so here is the history of the recent events. Christmas my 1986 22RE 5 speed 4x4 blows it alternator and the charge and brake light come on. This is fine because it has happened before. So i removed the alternator and take it into canadian tire to get tested and a new replacement. I install the new one and everything works fine. a week later i am heading home and i start to smell burnt plastic. This is never a good thing and pull off to the side of the road. At this point i see a little smoke coming from the hood. Nothing ever good comings from smoke under the hood. I open the hood and get to see the alternator connector next to the airbox smoking like a grandma at bingo. Within seconds the connector is nolonger smoking and is now on fire. Thank good for snow. Never thought i would every be happy it was here. Anyways i get it towed home and survey the damage. I looks to just be the connector. I get to the local scrapyard and pickup a new connector. solder in the new connectors and go to connect up the battery again. All i hear is a little puff and i know already the alt 80A fusible link is gone. So i check it out and it's blow. i am getting power to show the charge light and thats about it. So i replaced the fusible link and yet again it blow. This is with out even the keys in. I am not the best with electrical problems so i am looking to you guys for help. I am assuming that i should pretty much check all of the wires to make sure that they are not shorting out. So where do i start to look? Is there any wires that should be the first to check. Any and all help will be helpfull.

Thanks.

 

i would start by disconnecting the alt completely, the big charge wire and the plug, and see if it still blows the fuse, i bet thats its related to the "new" alternator since thats the only thing you changed in the recent past

EDIT: i reread you post and this has happened in the past?

 

okay well i'll start with that. I'm guessing that if that fuse doesn't blow then the alternator would be where the short is?

 

Thanks for the advice i seem to have been able to find the short to ground. When i replace the alternator the alternator cable was a little loose and melted/grounded on the exhaust. So its now running just with the charge and brake light on. So i'm thinking a alternator test is needed to make sure i didn't fry something in the process.