battery done backwards
 

what would happen if a battery was hooked up w/reverse polarity on a 88 truck.

it doesnt start anymore, any ideas ? (i sold this truck and am friendss w/the owner, and found out this happened. :dunno:

check every fuse. i bet you blew a lot of them

Usually one of the main fuses or fusible links goes, or if you're really unlucky something electronic gets fried.
When you say doesn't start do you mean doesn't turn over or just doesn't fire up.

nothing at the key.
just a dead unit as of now, *wow you guys are fast in replies*:D

im willing to bet the ignition system was fried.

i would hope there are inline fuses along the way (or fried "replacable " wires )
i know my 81 celica had some.

but thanks, i will call him later tomarrow and see if he figured it out yet.

replace all the fuses...thats forsure... if still doesnt start, chances are you fried the comp

Check the battery with a multi meter..may have just shorted it out..

Check the main fuse under the hood...black 80 amp.

Friend of mine runs an auto shop in a tech program, at a college, and a student did this the other day. On a 93 Camary, last i heard he had blown the battery and possibly the ignition/igniter module. After they replaced the battary the car would start and run for about a minute then die. he thought it was the ignition module was shorted and was overheating.

I second the vote for the black 80 amp fuse under the hood. I blew mine once while working on my truck with the battery connected.