<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Good ground wires do not smoke generaly. Shouldn't be any smoke within the first 10-20 sec at least.. Smoke usually means theres a restriction of current. That's the definition of a light bulb. Put 55watts through a strand of wire and take the oxygen out to prevent the wire from burning basically. High current through a restricted connection.
When you added a second battery did you just put the clamps on the battery posts.. that only adds current to what sounds like a bad ground cable. Might want to have a buddy crank it again to make it smoke and see where the smoke comes from. Then inspect the source of the smoke.
So my suggestion before you pull the starter. Leave the red clamp on the (+) battery post and but the black clamp on the engine block itself.. Good spot might be the engine's hoist hook. A clean bolt or something. The point is to supply ground DIRECTLY to the engine rather than through your existing ground.. Do this and if the starter fires up better and the engine fires up sooner then you have a bad ground 100%!! I've seen this before plenty. At least try this 5 minute check before you go getting greasy pulling a starter. I'd say if it doesn't change then you'd want to pull the starter and bench test it.
It's very rare nowadays, but a sometimes a starter can indeed have a shorted winding. which will increase the amp draw, yet it's power to the flywheel will be decreased which could result in a smoking good ground.
Sux that she's givin you this much grief. I pass a sportage sitting for sale in a lot everyday and it's covered in a foot of snow.. poor little sportage. Wife tells me no when we pass it. She's right. I don't need another, but it's sad to see it there all cold n' lonely <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />
