Just tried starting my ka24de motor after swap - wire burst into flames

[mr_wizard]

Alright, here's what I did. I swapped a 97 KA24DE into my 91' 240sx because I had a loose rod on the old motor. Anyway, after everything was hooked up yesterday, except the metal tube that goes from the exhaust header to the intake manifold (because I can't get that fitted properly right now), I tried starting it and it just clicked real loud and didn't turn over and it sounded like it was coming from the starter. My radio wouldn't turn on and I was only getting the basic electronics like HUD emergency light. So I thought "Ok, my battery is dead, I need a jump." Since I left one of the wires off the battery terminal while I was swapping motors.

So today I got my friend to jump the car and it did the same thing with the motor not turning over at all and just loud clicking at first but it was only seconds after hooking it up, so I gave it a little longer. Then I tried again, same thing. So I asked my friend to try and start it while I look in the engine bay and I notice the braided grounding strap coming from the wiring harness near the rear of the motor that connects to the firewall wall is sparking. So I tell him to stop and I give it one more shot and that's when it bursted into flames and melted in half.... After that I was like F it i'm not trying that anymore.

I'm completely clueless as to what to do. I'm horrible with electricity and someone told me I either have a short or a grounding wire isn't connected somewhere. My friend lives 20min away and my car is in his garage so I'm hoping to be able to try a few different things when I get there. I really have no clue what to do though.

What do you guys think is happening or has happened?
Modified by mr_wizard at 11:05 AM 4/24/2006

[mr_wizard]

Here's a picture of the wire, coincidentally it's the same wire I was asking where the hell it went on another thread haha. It's now burnt in half and the plastic connector is melted.

[mr_wizard]

Here's the latest pic of it. I had to actually pull the wire of this other black wire. And the metal connecting piece on the grounding strap fell off.

[pregmantis]

maybe you dont have enough ground? When you jump try connecting his pos to your batt positive and his neg to your engine block.

[LEMHEAD16]

That is an Engine ground strap. I don't really know how it would burn but good luck. Maybe you have wires crossed somewhere

[deviousKA]

Like pregmantis said, check your other engine grounds. There should be a heavy main lead from the battery, inner fender, and then to intake manifold somewhere. Make sure you have this hooked up.

And replace that little burnt ground strap once you got everything else sorted.

[pr240sx]

Too much resistance.

Check for a short or missing ground wirealso check the ALT fuse!!

[mr_wizard]

Just found out it was a missing grounding wire, the main one that comes from the battery and on to the intake mani, doh. But yea the plastic piece of the wire is the part that caught on fire and melted it in half. Now my starter is just clicking loudly.