Short Circuit!

[Fenwick]

Ok....here's the story.I go out to go somewhere in my '91 Explorer.Turn the key and it just clicks...then cranks very slow.New battery, so I think starter.I do the old bang on starter housing trick,and it starts.So I figured I'll just replace the starter and I'll be happy.
I replace the starter...but when I get under the truck to figure out the the difficulty factor..I'm under there checking how the wires run up to the starter..I notice the flashers are on...hmmm....go check the switch it's off..hmm dash lights are flashing also...I turn the key on and off and it stops.hmmm...I say...what the hell was that??
Well, I replace the starter the truck starts up and off I go to the store and such.(I know what you're thinking..how come he didn't explore the flasher/dash light thing...)Stop three times..third time starter is dragging...I'm thinking what the hey?Then I get home...stop truck.Restart, won't start, too slow, dragging...with key in the off position it's still trying to turn over....Now I'm running to my tool box to unhook battery.....smoke from burning wires coming from firewall ...

Ok after you stop laughing........I've looked at the cables from battery to starter look fine..have taken the whole column apart to unhook Ignition and dimmer/flasher switches. With the ignition switch unplugged with battery hooked up and 60 amp fuse pulled out no flasher/dash light.when I put fuse back in flashers /dash light thing happens.
Now I know there's a short(Duh...) but where?Could it be the soleniod??I can't figure out where the most practical place to start running down the short is......help.
I know why this is happening...all those years I sent people to the "Dealer" when I didn't want fix their cars cause it looked too hard.....I was just driving this truck last week thinking how I got a great deal (500bucks) and how great it was running....
Anyway any help would be appreciated

 

[Cobraguy]

You have a serious problem. If you saw smoke, you have wiring damage. You need to separate and inspect every wire in every harness under the hood and dash to inspect for damage. You should find your problem during this inspection. But to try and use your harnesses after burning them is asking for a fire that will burn your truck to the ground. (don't park this in your garage with the battery connected) These problems are a nightmare and will cause perfectly good cars to be totalled by insurance companies because they are so difficult and time consuming to repair. Good luck.

 

[Fenwick]

This I know....what I can't figure out is why?I've replaced starters hundreds of times.And there are only two cables that run down to this starter...I must of yank on 'em and cause the short.but I run that back and see no possibility of that happening.Could it be that the short was the reason for the starter malfunction?At this point I'm just curious to find out what exactly happened.

 

[Fenwick]

I fixed it

 

[Cobraguy]

Thanks.

 

[Fenwick]

You're welcome

 

[2doorsplor]

What the hell????!!!! How did you fix it?