car dies, and burnt ground wire

[MrPikolo]

Alright, I got another problem here, I wonder if anyone can help.

After work yesterday I started my car and proceded to leave. While I was moving, it died on my complelty(all power was cut off, wouldn't even jump start) for like five minutes and a pile of smoke came out of the engine bay. I proceded to get a lil paronoid and hoped nothing serious happened. I opened the hood and found that the ground wire between the middle of the engine to body was burn up complelty. So then I noticed my lights came back on so I proceded to start it and it started and was running fine. So I proceded to go home.

On my way home, I noticed my temp gauge was sparatikly going up and down. I didn't know what to think of this and figured my thermostat was sticking. About the same time I noticed that, my car stalled out again, but this time it wouldn't start back up, no juice left in the battery.

So I was wonder what could have burt the ground wire like that? I figured the stalling part is my battery and the heat part is my thermostat. But I could be wrong. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[DSM90AWD]

Did you hookup the jumper cables correctly and/or acidentally touch the block with the (+) cable? That is likeley what fried your ground (smoke).

As for stalling.. check to make sure your battery cables are clean and secure. If your car was overheating you'd have puddles of coolant under your car when you stopped... so the thermostat should be ok. The funny readings is prol from your coolant level being too low.

 

[MrPikolo]

the coolent level is fine from what I seen, when I took the radiator cap off, some fluid spilled out(engine is cold)

Why would the ground fry when I am just normal driving it? Positive connection onto the block somehow?

 

[DSM90AWD]

If you touched a (+) lead to your block (or mixed the +/- on the jumper cables.. the (+) current would seek a ground and due to the light gauge of the groundign strap would prol fry it. Is that battery securely fastened so it wont slide or jump up and hit the hood?

Thermostat is a cheep part so may as well replace it.

 

[MrPikolo]

it WAS but not anymore. I had it down with a bungy at that time and it isn't going anywhere I belive. It was held down at the time it happened though.

 

[gravityforce]

My battery on my old Laser jumped up and arched on the hood , same thing happened as you explain , the car died completly and then followed the cloud of smoke, I was scared sh_tless when it happened cause i thought my car was on fire. It arched a quarter size hole under the hood where it made contact , when I went to open the hood it was stuck for a minute (wouldnt open) cause the batt. cable attached itself under the hood. I learned MY lesson that day have a good battery tie down ( found @ your local parts store ) and have the correct post terminals.
You obviously have a positive lead grounding out somewhere , did you inspect the engine compartment for arch marks or burns ? check for bad electrical wires too If you already havent. Good luck and keep us posted.

Richard
91 GS-t
Glendale Az