02 7.3 PS New Starter, Now noise and smoke under hood

[Bossmanmac]

On Saturday 12/29 my truck was running and starting fine. I shut it off and went to start it about 10 minutes later. It wouldn't turn over and I could smell something getting hot. Disconnected the batteries and went to get a new starter. I installed the new starter and all was fine, untill tonight 12/31 I started the truck (it started fine) I drove about 20 miles and on my way back home it started making a strange noise and about 3 miles from the house I stared smelling something hot (electrical smell) by the time i got it home and shut it down (it wouldn't turn over) and opened the hood I had smoke coming up from the passenger side of the motor (maybe the starter but not sure). I removed both of the neg. battery terminals. What would cause the starters or what ever this is to burn up ? The starter has never stuck and kept running after the engine was started on the old one or the new one. Please help with any ideas. I lost my butt tonight I should be out plowing snow but !

Thanks Kevin

[adfields]

Unlike most other Fords Powerstrokes are always hot at the starter cable all the way down to the starter solenoid. So if it rubs on anything grounded you can get smoke or even fire. Another possibility is the connector at the starter end of the cable is not making good contact, and the resistance is making heat. But then something would need to be drawing power for this to be the case. Check the cable all the way up to the right battery, see that the starter end is not arcing to one of the other posts on the starter. Look for galled or burnt insulation or shorting to the trigger wire witch runs in the same loom with the cable.

[powerplant]

Could it be something with the starter sileniod its on the passenger side finder well. just a thought.