Negative battery cable is smoking !

[71 blue Monte]

 Ran my car today and negative cable was smoking turn car off and car would not restart. Put test light on negative terminal and negative cable and did not light up. looked under dash did not see any damage to harness and check fuses? any input would help!

[1970mcss]

Did it burn the cable that attaches to the fender. I'm not sure if that's a fusible link but I remember my car burned that wire. I replaced it and all was good. Good luck

[MC1of80]

Sorry for your issue. If you test from the positive battery terminal to the negative do you have power? 

Do you have grounds from the body to the frame, frame to engine, and engine to body? These are additional to the negative battery cable from the battery to the engine and fender.  

The ground cable is obviously smoked. Change it and recheck for power. 

If you have power at the battery and the negative is good,  and no power inside car, check the distribution block on the radiator support for power to it and leaving it going into the car.  

Start there and let us know what you find. 

[71MonteCarloMD]

Mine was smoking as I connected cables the opposite way, had to replace the cables with color coded at both ends to prevent mixing it up again.