I recently bought a 1998 Discovery with 132K for $1000.00 (about a month ago). I think it was a pretty good purchase. Doesn't seem to need too much. It has a leak in the steering gearbox but thats about it. I have been going through with my very limited auto mechanic knowledge (mostly what I can read online and advice from friends). I did need to jump it a few times the first week (even though it had a new battery). When i hooked up the jumper cables it began to crank. I found that weird but it started up, so no big deal.

Last week i went to start it and it was dead and so was the battery. The starter clicked. when I tried to jump it this time the cables began to smoke and smoke began coming from the back of the engine and through the center console into the cabin. thick white smoke with the smell of wire/rubber. Figured it must be some sort of short.

I took the battery in and it was toast. Bought a new one and hooked it up to find the same result. After the weather cleared up (snow storm) I took apart the center console and crawled underneath in search for whatever burned. The only thing that looked to have melted and had soot and the smell was what I think is the E brake cable. E Brake doesn't seem to want to pull up. Unhooked it. Wiggled some wires around and decided to hook the battery back up to determine where the smoke came from. The engine didn't seem to do the strange crank. Then i decided to give it a try. Started right up like there was no issue.

Running fine now. I checked all the cables everything seems fine, however the ground (or what I think is the ground) from the starter to the frame seems loose. Tried tightening it. No luck.

I assume that that was the issue or I have a short...Anybody have an idea if I am on track or know where I should start?

 

it's best to remove ALL the battery cables and clean them, and clean where they mount, clean the frame and engine grounds......use new cables if the old ones dont look servicable.
it sounds like you were getting a ground for things to operate through the e brake cable....which wouldnt be a GOOD ground....and thus the fireworks...

 

Thanks for the reply XCELLER8. I will follow your recommendations.

 

One of the most common issues with a 'dead battery' on these vehicles is someone installing the serpentine drive belt on incorrectly. It can have just enough tension to operate the alternator, except at high (highway) speed. Gauges can freak out too. Eventually the battery goes dead and owners think it's a bad alternator ...change the alternator and either: A) put the belt on 'correctly' in which case everything works properly, or, B) Put the belt on incorrectly and chase down a whole bunch of other problems for a long, long time.

So, the first thing I would do is check the belt routing.

Second thing I would check, like the other poster, is if the cables are making good connection. They can be corroded under the plastic jacket ...hard to see.

Hope it helps:

 

I put a new belt on my D1 when I first got it, lights would flicker at night, fine during the day (no headlights) it ended up being the Alternator not putting out enough power to run the lights thus causing the flickering lights. Replaced all the battery and ground cables and connectors before replacing the alternator, no change..

And smoke is never a good thing when dealing with electrical systems...

 

I have a similar problem with my 1998 Discovery, sometimes it just makes a click when starting and sometimes it only starts with the break pedal pushed... could it be a ground problem? Battery is aprox 6 months old...

 

Yep and it can also be the solenoid, starter frame to ground connection (oil in between), the solenoid wire connections or it can be the starter is on it's last two brushes.