metled negative negative terminal conecter

[secondary-system]

so im pulling out of a credit union and all the sudden i loos all power even electric. to i look at the engine and i noticed that the negative terminal connecter is in half. so i go to advanced auto and got a new one. i put it on and go to put it on the negative terminal and go t urn on the car and my friend that was helping me sees vapor coming out of the battery like shooting out. so thinking it was a bad battery i got a new one. hooced the positive on then the negative but as soon as i touched the negative terminal a crap load of sparks and melted metal. i replaced the positive wire because it was damaged form something else but still no luck. could the starter be causing this problem because no other wire is damaged.

 

[RAD4Runner]

Secondary-Post.

...could the starter be causing this problem because no other wire is damaged.

In order for that to happen to ABnormal conditions need to happen:
1) Starter solenoid contacts welded closed, AND
2) Starter brushes shorting to ground.

For those 2 to happen does not seem very possible.

Disconnect starter cable from battery positive. (In the process, you may find it shorting to body ground.)

If you see nothing out of the ordinary, reconnect battery connector leaving starter positive cable OFF.

Did problem happen again?

 

[541joseph]

Pull the alt fuse and see if it goes away if it does it's not the starter I'm betting something else

 

[RAD4Runner]

secondary-system,
What truck-year-model do you have?

Pull the alt fuse and see if it goes away if it does it's not the starter I'm betting something else

On our first-gens there is no "Alt" fuse. However, IF rectifiers in alternator were shorted, it may exhibit symptoms you see. Therefore, it also makes sense to disconnect the "B" wire, the very thick wire from the screw terminal on alternator.

See if that OR disconnecting battery-to-starter wire eliminates the arcing.

 

[secondary-system]

ok so i disconnected the starter wire from the battery connecter and no sparks. every thing works in the truck so it looks like i get to buy a new starter. thanks for your help guys.