Hot clutch cable when starting?

[barkeybooster]

Guys, this morning i tried to start my nova and the starter sounded like my battery was dead. suddenly smoke came from under the dash. found out my clutch cable was hot like hell. any idea why? are there electrical wires near that cable?

[Mike]

Engine is earthing out to the shell via the clutch cable :thumb: NOT GOOD. Sounds like your gerabox earth strap is non existant.

[barkeybooster]

Engine is earthing out to the shell via the clutch cable :thumb: NOT GOOD. Sounds like your gerabox earth strap is non existant.

geez, why didnt i think of that . . . it was an early start this morning (6:30 am)

[jimbob-mcgrew]

lol mike " NOT GOOD " clutch cable was probably glowing orange id imagine, mighta stretched a bit.

[barkeybooster]

the clutch feel wrong now as the cable was most probably redhot. might have to replace the cable. bad start for a day:cry: most horrible of all is that my colleague had to pick me up . . . in a saxo vtr. . .

[jimbob-mcgrew]

heh.. dark, m8 of mine has one of those in 16v form, proper chavved up, i call him a chav, he says "yup"

luckily those cables are fairly cheap and a piece of piss to change.

[barkeybooster]

its strange, the earthstrap runs from the startmotor has an eathstrap that runs directly to the battery. it looks fine.what i dont get is that the whole clutch cable doesnt seem to be hitting any metal parts:confused:

[Mike]

The clutch cabe is steel inside, and the clutch pedal arm is also steel :thumb: where the clutch arm meets the shell is, you guessed, also steel :thumb:

[total_vauxhall]

yea deffo bad earth i did the same my self when i fitted my xe motor and the cable got that hot it snaped

[7ova]

on most nova's theres a earth strap from the corner on gear box to the body!
check that,
if there isnt one fit one it will not hurt :)

[barkeybooster]

on most nova's theres a earth strap from the corner on gear box to the body!
check that,
if there isnt one fit one it will not hurt :)
yeah, i will swap it with the one from my 85'er nova. just to be on the safe side. just 2 bad the interior smell like crap now . . . (special cable)

[7ova]

fit a new clutch cable and fit the earth to the gear box :thumb:

then see what happens

[Lee]

its strange, the earthstrap runs from the startmotor has an eathstrap that runs directly to the battery. it looks fine.:confused:

Thats not an earth strap, its a +ve cable :)

As said, you should have an earth strap from the gearbox to the chassis. You obviously have an old style clutch cable, as the new ones have plastic adjusters to stop it earthing to the box.

[big dee]

mine done this aswell, an earth from the alternator bracket where it mounts to the block to the strut top done the job rightly ;) oh and a new clutch cable - real bad smell it is too isnt it lol

[craig green]

mine done this aswell, an earth from the alternator bracket where it mounts to the block to the strut top done the job rightly ;) oh and a new clutch cable - real bad smell it is too isnt it lol

I'd run it direct to the -ve terminal... :thumb:

[Ernie]

This happened to me on my first sr.
nothing to do with the earth strap its were the clutch cable has been rubbing against the main + feed to the starter motor.
Once the insulation has worn through on the clutch cable and starter wire you have an earthed clutch cable.
When you fit the new cable make sure that it is well away from the starter motor wires.

[just vaux trev]

happened to me too on my seh. puzzled me for ages untill good ol png saved the day