Dodge Repair: starter issue

Question
Hello I'm working on a 98 sportsman with a 318 in it, apparently another of his friends changed the starter and now when trying to start the van it blows the 40 amp fuse for the start/run I believe (sorry I'm away from the vehicle currently), also I checked the battery with a tester with the ground removed by touching the neg. side with the tester then touching the ground lead and it lights up. I'm thinking the starter was installed incorrectly and I have a ground making contact where it shouldn't?

Answer
Hi Jones,
I don't have a manual for a '98 Sportsman. Usually there is either a light green or brown wire that runs from pin D of the starter motor relay and goes to the starter motor clip that accepts that wire. I would check whether that wire shows a short to ground using an ohmmeter or continuity tester when the wire I mentioned is disconnected from the starter motor. If it is shown as infinite ohms to ground then I would believe the wire is OK and so the starter motor itself would be suspect. It is possible that a short is in the starter relay, so you could try the "start" position of the key when colored wire is still disconnected from the starter motor and not touching anything and see whether the fuse blows. If it does then the problem is in the relay, if not then the short is presumable the starter motor proper.
Please see the PS (below) and respond to it.
Thanks,
Roland