Car's stranded with a wiring issue... need to get it running ASAP. LS/Vtec swap into 1993 civic EX coupe.

I recently replaced the alternator and it ran fine until last night, i was driving and the headlights/gauges went out suddenly, then the car died. I tried a new battery, it only turned over once but wouldn't fire and then shut off completely. I tried to jump it but it started to smoke from the positive terminal of the battery, so i disconnected it. The alt is the only thing running off the crank and the belt is OK and tensioned.

Its sitting in a parking lot and i don't want it towed so please help ASAP. I'm assuming something is grounding out somewhere, but I'm not sure how to figure out exactly what. Should i check any fuses or test anything?? The starter doesn't seem to be getting enough power to turn it over. Thanks for any help.

 

your dist might have crapped out on you. do you have any friends that you can borrow a dist from?

 

Sorry i forgot to mention. I have a brand new DOHC dist, alternator, and battery installed.

 

check all the fuses underdash. does anything go on when you turn the key to on position??

 

hmm quick update, put in ANOTHER new battery (other one wouldn't hold charge), changed ground wire and re-sanded chassis ground.
Car starts and runs now but it won't hold a charge. I'm sure its getting a bad ground or something somewhere. I dont know what would cause the battery to lose power continuously, if I have no power accessories running.

 

you have a parasitic current drain. something like a relay could be staying on causing your battery to drain. take a voltmeter put the black lead on the negative post, then put the red lead on the negative cable itself then pull the negative cable up off the post while keeping the black lead on the post. make sure that the voltmeter is on milli amps, cuz if you have a big enough drain it will blow the fuse in your meter. once you have verified the drain. start pulling fuses and or relays too, and check to see if the drain goes away. you might want somebody to help you when you start pulling the fuses that way you dont have to go pull a fuse then check the drain. it just makes for a quicker easier diagnosis. Good luck!