1981 - Battery Box and main wire feeds?

[81c3Vette]

Think I may have the answer, but ya never know; 19x previous owners (UVIP) and nothing seems real w/wiring after 40+ years. Uncovered some frayed and general fire hazards, while removing batt for a charge. As you can see, not the best scenario going forward. Am using 10 gauge AWG red wire fixes to both leads coming from the + side of red batt wire (accessory wire) and from an existing wire from harness to relay assembly at batt compartment end (removed). Pic shows 2x brown wires mushed into one, with something that looks like an improvised/melted connector??. Uncovered after untangling a mass of electrical tape. Anyone know what the wire is connected to, from the harness into the battery compartment? Best guess: going into the fuze box and finally alternator? Runs along the side battery compartment, to an outside grommet (left rear wheel side, along the frame rail). Figure, this is how the batt gets charged from engine? Started off as a simple batt charge, morphed into something entirely different. Don't know how this thing even started, ran and/or didnt catch fire? BTW...the compartment in general was gone through twice and I'm still scraping, cleaning it up *LoL

 

[JasseC3]

I recommend getting the 1981 Corvette Shop Manual, which includes a section for electric troubleshooting. Free wiring diagrams for different model years can also be found online. I’m not exactly a pro when it comes to the 1981 Corvette, but from what I can tell, it’s a bit different from some of the older ones. Looks like, besides the ground cable, there are two other cables coming straight off the battery: one that goes to the starter and another that runs to the alternator.

 

[1st Vette]

I recommend getting the 1981 Corvette Shop Manual, which includes a section for electric troubleshooting. Free wiring diagrams for different model years can also be found online. I’m not exactly a pro when it comes to the 1981 Corvette, but from what I can tell, it’s a bit different from some of the older ones. Looks like, besides the ground cable, there are two other cables coming straight off the battery: one that goes to the starter and another that runs to the alternator.
View attachment 131764

Here it is….

81 Shop/Service Manual

81 Shop/Service Manual

www.zip-corvette.com

 

[81c3Vette]

Appreciate the diagram, explains a lot. Got the assembly binder for a 81; figure a service manual will come in handy as well. What I'm discovering is that 80-82's have variances on just about everything and anything on the subject on wiring. This inc. accessory ground leads from the neg(-) and pos(+), or not. Have replaced and/or cleaned up most of this mess this morn. Included the following: trickle charged the batt, cleaned the contact points on batt and cables, new battery cable terminal bolts (+) & (-), new accessory cable w/30amp 10 gauge wire from batt(+) to terminal block, replaced the 2nd wire to terminal block w/10 gauge and installed a neg(-) post power cut-off and general 4th go around on cleanup of the batt compartment. The power cutoff will come in handy when working on veh. wiring in future. Having done just this, the engine cranks sweet and fires up as it should. My next project will be to track down the ground connection from underneath the rear of car. Shone a light and appears not to have been cleaned, or replaced for some time as well. I'll most likely spring for a new ground cable; at 25" from compartment to grd bolt....might just be any easy project? I'll post a pic of my batt compartment, when I go for a ride tomorrow. Cheers.

 

[81c3Vette]

Still needs the compartment repainted and/or thinking white flex-seal spray.