Wont start help needed

[thehig]

I had a new starter put in car 7 months ago, also had timing belt done with water pump, and other work done. Car was running great, started all winter, no issues. Then today I went to start car and nothing, no clicking, completely dead. Only thing unusual that happened was 10 minutes before I parked car I was driving and spilled a coke, actually a lot of coke, some of it may have leaked into center console. Tried jumping it and smoked a set of jumper cables. I am thinking it starter again which means more money spent on this car. After coming from a Honda prelude this car has been a major disappointment and I want to get it running so I can sell it ASAP.
Any help would be appreciated, I am not a car mechanic guy so as simple as possible

 

[Nick M]

Tried jumping it and smoked a set of jumper cables. I am thinking it starter again which means more money spent on this car.

Go through your fuse box, including the large ones under the hood for the alternator. You let the magic smoke out. And next time, don't hook the cables up backwards, and it won't smoke.

If you didn't hook them up backwards, you have a direct ground, also called a short to ground.

 

[birdduck]

Once you fix the short/ fuse you want to check for a draw.. if you don't know how to check for a draw, google can help.