Key-off current draw?

[BigBearTinyTruck]

Howdy fellas, I was more or less given an 88 Bronco II with the 2.9 v6 and 4x4 all the good stuff. My 2000 ranger is only 2 wheel so I'm excited to have a hunk of crap I can throw around in the mud a little bit.

The problem is it doesn't run (of course). The only thing I know about it is that it's all stock, has only been molested a little bit over the years, and I was told it had a bad starter that the fella I got it from tried to fix - but it still doesn't start. I haven't had a chance to really dig into it, but the reason I'm making this post is every time I go to hook up a battery to it I get some hefty sparks, smoking, and an absolutely toasty positive battery cable. The key's off, out, everything.

I've spent my life working on 99-03 vehicles and have managed to avoid major electrical work through the power of strong prayer and holding my tongue at the right angle - so I'm a little out of my league - could the other guy hooking up the new starter backwards cause this significant power draw? If not, any suggestions before I start really digging into it?

I'll come back and update as I go through the process - my plan was to just start yanking fuses and see what makes the scary sparks and smoke go away.

I know it's not technically a Ranger, but it's all the same parts right?

 

[Curious Hound]

Well, a Bronco II is a "RBV" (Ranger Based Vehicle". So you're in the right place. Rangers, Bronco IIs and Explorers are in the same family and based on the same basic chassis design. Very interchangeable.

Pulling fuses one at a time is a great start for this problem. In fact, I would start with one in the engine compartment fuse panel that feeds the interior fuse panel. I believe it's a 50 or 60 amp fuse. That can eliminate the whole interior fuse panel at once if it doesn't change the symptoms.

Also, look around for obvious places where the previous owner messed with stuff. If he hooked up the battery backwards, he might have hooked something elses up backwards. Or, there could be bare wires shorted to ground somewhere.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Hefty sparks... smoke and hot battery cables sounds more like a direct short to ground then some current draw issue.

That 88 Bronco II likely has fusible links at the starter relay that feed power everywhere vs underhood fuse block with maxi fuses.

 

[pjtoledo]

most likely the fire has already burned itself out.