91 f350 cclb 7.idi zf5 4x4 electrical problms

[dwade5]

hello everyone, I have a 91 with a 7.3 in it, the first motor that was in it had dropped a valve. So, I ended swapping a new motor 7.3 Idi into it. I got the point where I was ready to start cranking and see if it will fire. Well then, my starter took a **** on me. When I took the starter and solenoid out i ended up taking the negative battery cable out (didn't/'t really mean to but too late now). I put the new starter and solenoid in. then I can't figure out where the negative battery cable goes again (don't send me diagrams, I can't read one to save my life). then along with that problem I had accidently touched the negative battery cable to the block and it started cranking. so I had unhooked the bracket for the positive battery cable to starter, and it stopped doing it but when I ground out the negative battery cable like a diesel mechanic friend suggested it will crank when the two terminals on the solenoid are touched together, but the negative cables get really hot and start sparking sometime. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance

 

[franklin2]

There are two negatives on my truck. Both go on either side of the front corner of the engine block. Pass battery negative goes to the pass side front corner, the driver's side battery negative goes to the driver's side front corner.

As far as the sparking and smoking, that sounds like poor connections. You need to clean things up. The starter draws a tremendous amount of power. Dirty corroded connections will cause sparking and smoking. Make sure the bolts where they are bolted to the block are good and tight as well as clean.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Neither of these are good pictures, but hopefully they'll help. In the front view, you can just see the two ground bolts after I put them back in place. The passenger's side one is a odd shaped bolt with a stud attached, like in the side view. It's located below the clean bolt holes on the water pump that the alternator adjusting bracket attaches to. The driver's side bolt is a regular bolt. It's located below the opposite side of the water pump. They are both right above the oil pan and they both take a 3/4" wrench or socket to tighten or loosen.