Diesel Bombers - Smoking battery/Wiring Diagram

Disconnect the smoking Battery with everything off hook up to a good battery the positive cable now take a set of jumper cables attach one of the cables to the battery then the other to the engine block then touch both cables together. If you get a big spark then yes you have a short in the positive side I would check your starter. Every thing else will cause a fuse to go or a fusible link! The easy way to disconnect the starter is look at your starter relay one red cable goes to the battery the other goes down to the starter. Disconnect the starter one now try it again should be no spark. If not then hook the battery back up now hook one the cable end to the positive side of the battery take the other end and touch the cable going down to the starter if you just get a spark and the starer does not turn there is your problem you also may want to check the relay by either using a volt ohm meter or a test light touch one lead to where you disconnected the cable and touch the other to the ground (engine block or finder) it you get any current it is shot check both starter and relay. Just went through the same thing with my F250 gas. While you are at it do a check of all the Positive cables and make sure they are not worn or touching the exhaust manifold. The big ones do not worry about the smaller wires. Oh a little more bad news the battery may need to be replaced But if it does turn out to be the starter or the relay or both may as well have the battery check at the parts store too.