Panic! Toasted my car..(?)

pronet · 07:27 AM

Hi!

My '89 930 has been sitting in the garage for about 2 month. 2 weeks after put it there the battery died, and I bought a new one, with the same amp.

Anyways, today, I went down to the garage to hook up the new battery and fire up the engine, but that's not going to happen for awhile....

Here's what I did:

I hooked up the (+), or so I think..
Then I attempted to hook up the (-), but apparently there were a lot of current in the lines since it was some major sparks..

So I disconnected all the big red fuses, hoping it would decrease the current..

After awhile I successfully connected the (-)..

I went around the car to get my self seated.. when I noticed SMOKE was TOTALLY PUMPING from underneath the car.. I disconnected the battery fast as hell..

It was more smoke than you could ever imagine, and it was coming from somewhere below the engine.. Most of it was coming out under the car, and some from the engine lid.

Now what the heck was this?!??!

Did I somehow managed to connect (+) to (-) and vice versa? I am quite sure that is not the case, but what else could it be?

Of course, the ignition was turned off..

Any idea??

Thanks a lot!!

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RSBob · RSBob's Garage

What terrible luck. Sure sounds like you connected them incorrectly and smoked the electricals. I see big $ leaving your wallet in the near future. My sincere condolences to both of you.

TerryH · TerryH's Garage

If you're not sure about how you hooked up the battery, I can only suggest you flatbed the car to your mechanic. Obviously, something was burning and if it doesn't smell like dead animal, then you melted something that you'll probably need later, like wiring.

GaryR · GaryR's Garage

I can only assume that you hooked the battery up reversed and now you have big problems.. Can't you tell how the original one was installed in there and go from there?

Your "lucky" the car didn't go up in flames, sorry to hear of this... doesn't sound good.

pronet · 01-19-2006, 10:30 AM

ouch...

well then I guess I must have reversed them..

Just to be sure, before I go check it out again, the cable towards the front of the car (the single cable, the other one have a few more cables attached to it), is that (+)..???

Thanks!

vash · vash's Garage

man o man this is gonna hurt. take a peek, at the cables. the ground wire connects directly to the body of the car. that is the "front" cable on my car. good luck. i am amazed you got it hooked up, the fireworks musta been amazing. i always wondered what if...?

Ron.G · 01-19-2006, 10:34 AM

The one towards the front is ground.

930LDR · 01-19-2006, 10:34 AM

NO!

The cable towards the front is the negative terminal. All of the misc connections attach to the positive terminal!

bigrubberjeep · 01-19-2006, 10:35 AM

How was it possible to x the cables? I thought the conectors were made different size.

RSBob · RSBob's Garage

Typically the (+) terminal has multiple cables attached to it, and the (-) only has one. I can't say specifically for your car how it was set up, or if additional aftermarket ground wires were attached to the - contact in error, but that is usually the way it works.

If I were you I wouldn't touch it and have it flatbedded like Terry recommended.

pronet · 01-19-2006, 10:38 AM

Ok then I reversed them, darnit!!

Does it make any difference that I had all the big red fuses disonnected?

And yeah..the fireworks was amazing

Ron.G · 01-19-2006, 10:39 AM

I can tell you that you are very lucky you did'nt get hurt.
Those sparks you were making could have caused the battery to explode in your face.

I wonce un-hooked a battery charger from a battery that I was charging without unplugging it (spark)and it went off like a bomb.
Never found the top of the battery and I got sprayed with acid.
good thing there was a place to wash it off in a hury.

JP911 · JP911's Garage

Wow, that's ashame. Maybe Loren or one of the other electrical gurus will chime in here and give you an idea of what kind of damage you're looking at.

Paul T · 01-19-2006, 10:43 AM

wow - my condolances, I hope you get this straightened out without too much $$ out of pocket, but it's not sounding pretty! Be thankful the car did not burn down and/or battery explode and injure you...flatbed this to someone immediately, this is going to be a long, expensive journey me thinks...

pronet · 01-19-2006, 10:46 AM

Yeah.. I assume there's no point in trying to start it after connecting the battery correctly.. I will transport it to the mechanics asap.

I didn't realize that the battery could explode.. I'm really glad it didn't.. phu..

And well.. I'm probably looking at a $1000 lighter wallet, at least..

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

Your not the first person I have seen do this to a 911, a bonehead parts counter guy did this to a buddies SC as well. You may not be entirely screwed yet, he had the same smoke it was just simply the plastic sheilding on the starter wires, and the starter, it did not go past there at all. So new battery cables and a starter and he was back on the road again. I guess the "free battery" install is not always worth it.

pronet · 01-19-2006, 10:49 AM

Happy to hear I might get away cheaper.

Btw, any idea if I have to take the car to a Porsche shop or can anyone fix this kind of stuff? (the garage is far away from my p-car mechanic..)

Thanks everyone!

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

I suppose opinions will vary, however I never take my p-car to anyone other than my p-car wrench. My p-car wrench is practically family at this point.

scottb · 01-19-2006, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pronet
Btw, any idea if I have to take the car to a Porsche shop or can anyone fix this kind of stuff? (the garage is far away from my p-car mechanic..)

If you smoked the electricals, you're better off with a P-car mechanic. Bite bullet and have the car flat-bedded to him.

flipper · flipper's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Scott R
Your not the first person I have seen do this to a 911, a bonehead parts counter guy did this to a buddies SC as well. You may not be entirely screwed yet, he had the same smoke it was just simply the plastic sheilding on the starter wires, and the starter, it did not go past there at all. So new battery cables and a starter and he was back on the road again. I guess the "free battery" install is not always worth it.

I think you might be ok as well. It most likely only fried the wires to the starter. Usually, any of the delicate wiring is connected with the key in and turned on.