I was trying to take out my batter and the ratchet slipped out of my hands and arched the positive post to the battery strap. Now I have no headlights, radio, door locks, windows. The dash does light up when I turn on the key though. When I go to start it the engine turns over but its really slow and sounds rough. Its not just turning over something sounds wrong. What could possibly be wrong from arching the battery? I already checked the fuses and there was one under the dash a 30 amp "power" that was blown and I replaced it. I Need help!!!!

 

Sounds like you still have a bad fuse someplace. On the slow cranking, have you tested the battery?

 

Another thing to look at is all your grounds.

Total battery watts returning to the battery could have damaged all or one of the ground cables or the negative battery terminal.

This is why one always disconnects the negative battery terminal first and connects it last if both terminals have been removed.

 

I am going to test the battery here shortly. I have already checked all my fuses and replaced the 30amp power fuse inside. I will check the ground cables next as well. Is it possible that it damaged anything serious? I am actually out of town visiting a friend and I'm supposed to be leaving in a week!!!! I am concerned that I fried something worse than a fuse.

Yes I usually do remove the negative first but this time I was in a hurry. Wont make that mistake again. Thanks for the help so far guys.

 

Ok so I tested the battery at napa and they said it was good. I also grabbed a code reader and I'm not throwing any codes but I have had the battery disconnected so theres probably no codes to read. I tried to start it and it actually fired right up! Then I shut it off and went to start it again and I couldn't get the key to turn. after messing with it for a few hours i got a knew locking cylinder and the key turns fine but now it won't start again.

I have no radio, no lights, no door locks, no windows. When I try and unlock the doors with the button there is a rapid clicking noise under the fuse panel by the drivers left leg. It seems to be coming from a relay.

There is an alarm system the previous owner put on it and I'm wondering if thats the culprit now? What is the factory alarm systems manufacturer?

 

On an 88 you don't need that, have a look at this link and see if you can return the code reader.

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/TroubleCodes/

 

Its not an 88 its a 96 3.4L 4runner. So it has the OBD II system. Tomorrow I am going to redo the battery posts and check all the grounds again and hope that helps. Is it possible to have fried my ECM just from the short? Seems very unlikely but possible I guess???

 

Was looking at your name lol

 

Haha no problem! It's understandable. I just wanna get this issue fixed so I can get home! haha

 

The ECM if damaged would not keep the engine from cranking.

Then most likely would cause all sorts of codes while cranking or do nothing at all .

Look real close at all the wiring around the fuse block in the engine compartment.

Look for melted wires or arcing around fuse holders that could be causing a open circuit.

When this was shorted what happens is the full battery watts( Volts X Amps) returns to the negative battery terminal by the shortest path it can find.

You have in fact bypassed all the circuit protection this short would continue till the ratchet was removed or something melted or the battery completely discharged.

The fact you found your 30 amp power fuse open might have been pure chance.

Back to the basics

Battery terminals clean and tight.

It is possible to have a ground melted enough it no longer conducts but look fine to the eye.

Remove them look clean flex the cables.

Battery is good

starter seems to be ok

Don`t know why you had problems with your lock cylinder.

If this is a 5 Speed it could be something like the clutch safety switch and your being stressed about this.

*** Then this whole not cranking issue could just be unrelated to your fire works and just one of those things.

 

Add the alarm system to Wyoming's list.

 

80 amp main fuse in the fuse block under the hood. Its a p.i.t.a to change... gotta actually remove the fuse block, and unbolt it from the underside of the fuse block, the pull it out from the top.

 

Ok I replaced the battery terminals, cut all the wires back and skinned them so thats all brand new, everything is good but no change. In the process of changing the terminal I realized there are 3 positive wires. 1 is huge and goes to the starter. 2 is medium and white and goes directly to the fuse box under the hood and third goes to a switch in the dash for the heated mirrors. the biggest and smallest cables do nothing when i connect them, but the one going to the fuse box causes a few things to happen. The cassette player cycles like its trying to eject a tape, the passenger front turn signal flashes, all the relays click in the fuse box, the Viper C60 alarm clicks, and something in the transmission oil pan clicks. This happens about 40 times (40 seconds) then stops and it doesn't do anything. It has a viper C60 alarm system and a Valet 551T system under the dash.

 

Ok guys we finally got it, it was a ground, it was the opposite end of body ground. After poking around with the multimeter we found that it wasn't a solid ground. Pulled it off and used some sandpaper and got a good ground and it was all good. Must have been a fluke thing that the ignition went out and I think i may have bumped that ground while taking the battery out. Thanks for the help everyone!!!!