Chevrolet Repair: starter/ cellenoid or fusable link prob, chevy s10, coolant temp

Question
Hey Van, thanks for the help! I have a 1985 Chevy s10, 2.8 litre 5spd. It has been sitting for awhile. I jumped it and it started. However when it died, we had to jump it again, but this time, my bonehead buddy criss crossed the jump cables and poof!, smoke arose from somewhere near the starter. Now nothing works, no juice, radio, power etc.... Do you think I killed the starter, cellenoid or I've been told I fried the fusable link on one of the wires protruding from the cellenoid. Any help would be sooo great!  Also if you dont mind, truck only runs well and keeps an idle after several minutes of driving or when warm, it will not stay running if it's cold?HELP!

Answer
Hi Dan,
I would also think fusible link, but the solenoid sure isn't out of the question.
You may need to remove it to get to the wires, so test it yourself, or carry it into a parts house, like "O"Reillys, or Autozone, and they will test it for free.
But the lack of power to all those other things sounds like a link.

The idle could be several things, but a bad coolant temp sensor is high on the list if it is fuel injected. Check and read this site.

http://www.chevytalk.org/threads/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Number=1366279

But...if your truck has a carburetor, which I think it does, then adjusting the choke is probably all that is needed.

Van