Hey all got a slight issue, went to start the EF the other and it would wind but wouldnt crank, then i noticed a heap of smoke pouring out the bonnet, so this is what i found, i have no idea what the f**k it is for,hopefully someone can help me out
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On the Earlier E series they were fusible links but on the EF and EL I'm sure it is just a big negative wire which runs through that two pin plug and ducks off around to the earth point near the air filter box...

My friend, for that to happen you have one hell of a short circuit there somewhere... Something with power must have rubbed through to that wire because for that 6mm wire to melt insulation like that then that is a s**t load of current... Did it only get hot when the key was on accy, on, or start? That helps determine the circuit you'll be looking for a short to... The power fans run down with that wire too... Could try pulling the fan fuse, finding out which side has 12V and then check how many ohms are between the other side of the fuse and ground...

Not much else with big current capacity runs down there... Have you bridged out any fuses near the header tank? Have you replaced any of those fuses with bigger fuses? Are any of those fuses currently blown? Have you added any wiring to the car? Something is amiss...

Cheers,
Tim

i havent touched anything on the car the time ive had it for the 8-12months not one thing what so ever, ive been told that only one of them wires should be hooked up to the battery but buggers me im no auto sparky haha

it only seemed to get hot while i was trying to start the car, i was driving it all morning, then ducked into a shop and came out went to start it and it would wind but wouldnt crank after a bit it starting smoking, so i left it overnight and it started again the next morning and i drove it home

Trying to remember now... EF/EL I think had the following earth connections at the negative post:

There was medium sized one that went to the bolt near the header tank
There was the black/green one that goes to all the sensors and to the computer (gives good ground to the critical stuff)
There is the medium sized one that runs around to the earth near the air filter box
And there was the really big bastard that should be earth for the starter motor and the alternator

It seems highly unlikely starting would effect that wire... That wire is grounded so something supplying power is shorting to it and is hence the heating the crapper out of it to destroy the insulation...

The high current wire that runs to the starter leaves the battery terminal and takes it's own lonesome path to the starter, plus it is live all the time... The solenoid on the side of the starter makes the circuit from it to the motor...

The only wire that goes live when you turn the key to start comes from the barrel to the smartlock module, from it to the starter relay and then the starter relay sends another signal to the solenoid coil on the starter... This wire is smaller than that wire you pictured and if this found some way to cause it then it would be worse looking than that wire...

Seems super weird and my suggestion is to replace the whole engine bay harness as that'll be the simplest way to fix the issue... The battery terminals and wiring at the header tank you posted are not factory and something has been altered there in the past... But if the massive current is coming from something that isn't in the engine harness then you'll cook another loom...

By any chance is the main big earth wire tight and corrosion free at all terminals, especially at the block and wherever it attaches to the chassis?

Cheers,
Tim

Yeah everythihg is super tight there, i have checked all that, i dont think i will replace the harness cant be f**k with the car not worth the effort, so what is that fusable link actually for

Na on EA-to ED they were fusible links with that plug and the were superseded by the EF which has all the fuses beside the header tank... Fusible link is a piece of fuse wire in line with a normal piece of wire... Crude version of a fuse...

The EF/EL used the same plug but I am sure they are not fusible links, just a join in the wiring... You have proved they are not fusible links but starting to turn the whole length of wire into one big fusible link...

Something went tragically wrong to heat that wire up enough to do that to the insulation... I thought for a minute there may not have been a substainial enough earth for the starter motor and it's current was traveling back through that wire...

Will it crank over with that wire disconnected? (self taper near the airbox somewhere)...

Cheers,
Tim

i'll get back to you in the morning and will let you know if its useless will just solder and tape the ends up i plan to drive it once in a blue moon couldnt really car about the car

went to start the car without them wires hooked up and nothing , starter wouldnt engage it just had power that was it and the exclamation light on the dash and low level coolant

connector at battery is just a connection for earth circuits not fusible links which would be on positive side why it was fitted is only obvious to ford-check wiring to body and at thermo fans & fans themself for short or signs of overheating -
check main earth from battery negative to engine- if this is faulty when attempting to start vehicle starter load backfeeds thru other earths and lets the smoke out of other earth circuit wires

feel like burning the car, ive checked everything i will double check again tomorrow when i dont wanna tow it out bush and burn the prick