shorted out battery now it wont hold charge

[2fastnotch]

ok guys i was installing my upper manifold and long story short it hit positve and ground. now the when i jumped the car the guage bounces and battery doesnt hold charge what did i screw up?

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

Is it charging at all? Could've popped the fusible links between your alternator and the battery. I'd take the battery out and get it load tested by a parts store. It's possible that you also lost a cell in the battery as well.

 

[2fastnotch]

ok i jumped the car it idles fine gauge jumps when i step on the brake.i checked the charging system with my jump box system appears to be charging.i drove it arround the corner it died the guage went to zero for the battery gauge no dome light at all.i thought that if the alt. was still good the car would run but all other things lead me to bad battery.

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

Even with a bad battery, the alternator would allow the car to continue running. Check for an open circuit between the alternator and battery and ensure the alternator is in fact charging if no open circuit exists. The short across both terminals could have popped a diode in the alternator, too.