I have a 1995 Chevrolet 1500 Pickup with the 6.5L TurboDiesel in it. Here's my story...

I went out to start it the other day, it had been sitting for a week in the subfreezing temps. (I am at college). It turned over slow. I know you are not supposed to turn them over slow, as you'll wreck the starter. So I took the batteries (2) out and charged them in my room for a couple hours each. I put them back in the truck, and it turned over slow for about a second, then nothing happened. There were no lights on the dash, nothing.
So I got my buddy so we could jump it, and when we put the cables on it, his truck's engine slowed down, then caught back up... My truck did not have any lights on the dash, no apparent electrical, and no cranking. Then my buddy points out that the terminal was smoking...so I yanked the jumper cable ends off. Both jumper cables (+ and _) on my truck were smoking, and the wires were hot when I pulled them off.
I just went out today with my voltmeter, and both batteries are dead.

Some background...One battery is new, the other one was checked out and said to be in good shape.

Does anyone have any insight as to where to start? I don't have time to work on it today, but will sometime during the week.

oh...and don't keep quiet just because its a diesel, I have to believe the electrical is fairly similar to the gas's... so feel free to offer input!!

Thanks in advance!

It could be the starter or voltage regulator. Both of these could drain your batteries, if there bad.

Why would the jumper cables smoke when they were hooked up?

I was thinking something was shorted out, and when I hooked the cables up there was too much of a current drain...

My dad suggested that the cable going to the starter is either poorly connected or even burned/broken in half. But would that make it so nothing electrical worked? I'm not sure exactly how the electrical system is set up...

try hooking up a ampmeter and pulling the fuses one at a time till you loose the draw. then find what is in that circuit causing the drain. in my experiance you should always replace both batterys in a dual battery system. of course you should check the obvious like your dad said. it does sound like a heavy draw.

Why would the jumper cables smoke when they were hooked up?

I was thinking something was shorted out, and when I hooked the cables up there was too much of a current drain...

My dad suggested that the cable going to the starter is either poorly connected or even burned/broken in half. But would that make it so nothing electrical worked? I'm not sure exactly how the electrical system is set up...[/b]
YES Poor conection or broken cable will result in LOW or NO POWER. Try checking both + and _ cables.

If the jumper cables are the thin type they will get hot ,trying to charge two batteries if one is in bad shape .

billw, that is a good point that I never thought of. They weren't a cheap set of jumper cables, they are relatively large cables with halfway decent ends. I'll have to check out the connections and see what I find...I just have to find a jack and stands (and pull it out of the dirt parking lot)...I'll let you all know what I find...Thanks again!

I would check all your wiring from the batteries to the starter, all conections in route. With it sitting over time with changing weather you could have a coaroded connection. A couple spots that are common is at the starter, alt, voltage reg ,ect. Not sure on your ride but I had a deal where all it was , was the ground on ther alt bracket was rusted up .With a painted motor it did even look like it was the culprit, but between the bracket and wire lead was rusted .

On my ford f-150 it went dead a few times on me . One time it was the hot wire to the starter broke, another time it was the voltage regulator(starter relay)still had lights but no cranky.

If your not getting any juice to even get lights and you have a some what of a charge , I would say it's a ground somewhere. Did you re-connect your batteries back up right? I oops on the regulator wires and smoked the starter before by overlooking the connections.

Not sure on a chevy but on fords you can arc it at the relay to start it and this will tell you it's the relay thats bad not the starter silenoid.

mutt

First thing that jumped out in my mind was a poor ground. Not saying that's the problem but that's what come to my mind right off the top.

Hope you get it figured out.

Ryan

UPDATE:

Took the starter off and found the cable to the starter (from the battery) was worn through. There was about an 1" of bare wire showing with some broken strands. I'll get a new one tomorrow and put a piece of radiator hose over it so whatever wore through it the 1st time won't again.

One of the large 40amp fuses in the box was blown, hopefully that was the reason for no dash lights, or maybe just coincidence...

Thank you all for your advice, and hopefully this'll fix the problem!