Terrible battery arcing

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Ender570

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So, I replaced the spark plugs and ignition coils on my 2003 LS v8, but when I went to turn it on it wouldn't crank.

I figured the battery was dead (it had been sitting for a bit) so I took the battery out, had it charged at auto zone, and brought it home. I installed the pos cable, but when I went to connect to neg there was a terrible arc between the cable and the battery. It was so bad that it actually melted a part of the terminal prong on the battery.

Do you guys think this is a problem with the battery itself or did I screw something up when I was replacing the plugs and coils?
 
Sounds like you have a bad short somewhere.
 
Do you think the battery is still good to use? It took a decent bit off the battery prong
 
I agree on the likelihood of a significant short. Is it possible you put the cables on backward? That can sometimes get exciting.:eek:

KS
 
Did that with my first LS when I was gutting it out getting it ready for the junk yard. Surprisingly enough there wasn’t any damage other than the seats going forward when I pushed the switch backwards lol.

Swapped it back and she started right up with no issues
 
The cables definitely aren't on backwards! I went back through and rechecked my work ... everything is plugged in properly

If it's a short, that could be what killed the battery in the first place. I'll start the process of figuring out where in the world it is, but in the meantime do you think the battery is still good? I don't want to buy a new battery, but I also don't like the idea of having a 40 pound battery blow up in my trunk or (worse) my face.
 
Ender570 said:
...but in the meantime do you think the battery is still good? ...
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Impossible to say without seeing the battery post and doing a load/capacity test. As long as you are connecting the vent hose and the plastic battery case is undamaged, the possibility of an explosion should be very remote.
 
Update: got the battery in the bastard, but now it's getting zero juice. The battery definitely has power and the battery is connected completely, but when I get in and turn the key, nothing. No lights come on, no sounds, nothing.

I didn't use a battery tender
 
How are you verifying that the battery has "power?"
You have possibly blown one of the main fuses. You need to take a volt meter and use it to find where the circuit has opened. There are only a few possibilities to check.
 
fudge12 said:
If the arc was that bad, pretty sure the mega fuse is toast
Click to expand...

Probably, and probably the short is still there on the other side of the now open fuse. Anyway, a few quick voltage measurements will quickly answer this.
 
Ender570 said:
Excuse my ignorance, but where would the mega fuse be?
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Start by checking for voltage at the fuses in the junction box in the trunk. (Some of these are "maxi" fuses.) I'm not sure why you seem resistant to do this. Does this mean you don't have a voltmeter? Because you are going to need one to solve this! Get one.

If you do have voltage on some (measured between ground and the fuse test points), then check to see if any have it on one side only. Those with one side only are blown. Concentrate on the big ones first (40A and 30A). If there is no voltage there at all, then the battery cable is bad (or it may have an in-line fuse too. I don't remember. I will check tonight.)

Once you've found the blown fuse(s), then you know which circuit(s) the short is on. Then you'll have to find and resolve the short.

I know for sure there is a mega (in-line) fuse for the cooling fan, but that's not your problem.
 
I wasn't sure, but there is a 175A "mega" fuse on the side of the junction box in the trunk. A lot runs off of it, but not everything.
 
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