I boosted a friend today and when I hooked up the batteries I did his first then mine .My engine was running then the positive cable clamp contacted the top rad. support and there was a slight spark and the engine died .it will restart but will not idle it just dies ,it is a standard so I just kept it above idle and got it home . Any ideas what I must have messed up thanks

 

Obviously you shorted something out, but what I have no idea.
I always hook the jumper cables to the running vehicle first, then to the "dead" one.
Positive to positive, then negative to ground.

If it will not idle that usually means a bad idle control valve.

 

Did you check fuses?

If you attach your positive first then his positive before connecting your negative you will prevent either the likelihood of shorting your positive to your negative and prevent damage in that way.

Then connect your negative, then connect to a ground on his vehicle, not his battery post. This much safer. A battery can explode you know.

Anytime you short your positive to your frame, you have an immediate problem.

I have seen pictures of wrenches that became welded to a battery post by shorting to the frame. I partially melted away a battery post by accidentally shorting it to ground directly. That gives MAX current flow.

 

I am guessing it is something simple , it will start every time but unless I give it some gas it will stall .I cannot imagine what may have been blown, I did a quick check of the fuses by the battery and everything seemed fine . Maybe it will fix itself in a few days .

 

Those types of problems hardly ever self correct.

 

I welded a wrench to a Oldsmobile I had, it was my first car and I was removing the battery for whatever reason and touched the wrench to the fender support, I was able to knock it free with my hand before anything melted, but the wrench forever had a weld spot on it.

 

I wa tightening the + battery terminal and wrench touched an AC line and arc welded a hole just large enough for all the freon to pssssssss out. Was also an Oldsmobile Cutlass (diesel).

 

Great boys I have chapter one of the boosting f%$# ups please send more so I can finish the book , When I figure out what happened I will pass it along for future reference

 

lmao at spike555 wtf ....anyways try turning your idle up that way you dont have to keep hitting the gas and the keys other then that i did this once and i swear to god i had to replace the computer but it was not a land rover it was a ford mustang

 

Do not adjust your base idle without having access to Testbook! You will only give yourself a headache and more woes. Start by checking your fuses. Also, check that you didn't bump any connectors loose.