I have a '71 Satellite and I had installed a new alternator a week ago and I didnt noticed that the wire that feeds power to the car was grounded to the alternator itself and when I connected the battery it almost instantly fried that wire and the wire coming out of the alternator gauge. i just finished replacing those wires with the exact same wires but from a '73 satellite. I started my car but those wires are getting warm, not hot but pretty warm. Is that normal? or do I need to change the regulator as well or is the alternator putting out too much? Also supposedly the alternator is from a '72 Satellite because the one they were giving me was not the same one that Kragen's had in their system.

 

if you can post a picture of the wires you are talking about. if it is attached to the case of the alt it should go to the neg post of the bat. the larger stud on the alt should be the power.

 

Its the larger stud on the alternator that was getting warm as well as the two wires connected to the back of the alternator gauge.

 

You've got something seriously screwed up. It is common in the case of a serious short (which is what you did) for the plastic insulated wiring to melt inside the harness and short across between other wires, in effect, welding multiple wires together.

It may also be that the two harnesses are NOT compatible. Download yourself some wiring diagrams and get to work.

I would say it's time to drop the steering column, pull the cluster, and yank the entire harness out from under the dash. Untape the harness and inspect and repair burned/ melted wires. I'm sure there will be some.