my car is dead

[markiemyster]

I hadn't started my 65 for about a month because I was doing some repairs. When I tried to start it Saturday the battery was dead. I jumped the car with my other car and it started up after a few cranks.
I went down the street about a 1/4 mile and when I let off the gas pedal it just shut down and wouldn't start up again. I assume the battery hadn't had time to recharge. This morning I tried to jump it again and it did absolutly nothing. **Not even a cranking sound.** As I jiggled the jumper cables to see why it wasn't charging I saw a puff of smoke come from around the engine somewhere.
The engine is not original. It's a 350 with no points and has an alternator not a generator.
Any tips on were to begin trouble shooting?
Do you think it's safe to try jumping it again after seeing a puff of smoke.

Thanks, Mark:confused

 

[WayneC]

>>> I saw a puff of smoke come from around the engine somewhere. <<<

Could you be just a little more specific?

I'd sure closely inspect the area around the starter before attempting anything further. Look for loose/corroded cable connections and signs of heat damage. Might be best to pull the starter and have it checked at an electrical shop.

You're right, the battery hadn'r had enough time to recharge. "Not even a cranking sound" says solenoid, starter, or cabling either at the starter or in the ignition switch circuit.

 

[JohnZ]

In a situation where the battery is flat, you should always bring it up to near-full charge with a charger before driving the car - the alternator wasn't designed to charge a dead battery, just to maintain it at full charge; the kind of high-amperage continuous output the alternator sees with a dead battery can fry it in short order, and can overheat the 12-ga. red charging wire from the alternator output terminal to the horn relay and from there to the battery (at the main terminal stud on the starter solenoid).

 

[markiemyster]

I found the problem

I pulled out the battery after work today and brought it back to Sears where they gave me a refund. It was only 8 months old and so I got 100% refund.
Then when I got home I started investigating what the problem could be. After all of 5 minutes I found that the insulation had MELTED off the heavy gauge wire that connects the battery (+) to the starter. About 2" of bare wire was exposed. It must have been touching the exhaust manifold???
I guess it's safe to say that the bare wire was shorting out on the car somewhere.
The starter looked OK visually. Do you think I should take it out and have it tested or just put in the new battery and cable and try it first?
Also I will be buying a new battery from somewhere and was wondering what I should look for in CCA. The Sears one was only about 575 CCA.
Thanks to all for the help, Mark

 

[WayneC]

Sears gave you a GIFT!

>>> I guess it's safe to say that the bare wire was shorting out on the car somewhere. <<<

Yep.

>>> The starter looked OK visually. Do you think I should take it out and have it tested or just put in the new battery and cable and try it first? <<<

I'd try it, but I wouldn't be persistent about trying it multiple times if it doesn't start cranking immediately.

>>> Also I will be buying a new battery from somewhere and was wondering what I should look for in CCA. <<<

Get yourself a new sealed Delco battery, I've always had good luck with them; check out this website:

http://www.idavette.net/hib/batts.htm

I spent part of sunday working on my elderly neighbor's car that wouldn't start... it was a bad battery. She only has about 32k on her 92. The battery was an Interstate with a 5 year guarantee that she bought in May of 95, so I was impressed by that, as well.