Numbskull mistake - connected battery backwards! ('89 K5)

[The_Tomato]

So, obviously, as stated above, I connected my battery backwards. I was switching it out because I needed the bigger battery (the one that was in it) for something else and I have a battery with plenty of cca's to turn a 350. Of course, what I didn't notice is that the terminals were switched on these two batteries and so I made my stupid, novice mistake- I connected it backwards. I smoked the + battery-alternator lead almost immediately and also another lead from the alternator with a fusable link that did it's job. I managed to discon the battery real quick before anything caught on fire, but now even having replaced those two wires and a few blown fuses, the truck won't start.
Oh, and when I use my diagnostic tool on the obd1 port, I hear a weird rattling from the engine bay.
Help!!

 

[4X4HIGH]

There is another wire with a fusible link coming off the starter which if memory serves me correctly powers everything inside the vehicle.

 

[6872xtc]

When my Dad did this on his '90 K5, he had to replace the alternator, and I swapped out the ECM, since I had 3 spares.
I bet that I didn't need to since we had found the ECM-b fuse blown.
But I never tried the old ECM, yet...

 

[diesel4me]

Some newer vehicles have diodes in the fuse box that are meant to pop if the battery polarity is reversed,or jumper cables were hooked up backwards..not sure if the 88 up GM trucks have them or not..

If its a square body there are usually 3 fusible links--one or two located in the thick red wires coming off the starter solenoid stud (where the positive battery cable connects)--from there those wires run behind the engine and there is a splice to another red wire going to the alternator stud terminal,and the red wires continue on to the junction block on the firewall near the brake booster,there is another fusible link there,and a metal shunt that connects the two terminal on the junction block that can melt like a fuse too..

There are smaller wires coming off the battery cables where they connect to the battery that often go up in smoke when polarity is reversed - one is a ground that goes to the radiator support,and another off the positive cable may be there to power something also..

 

[The_Tomato]

Coming back 4 years later to add the solution- I replaced the chips in my ECM as well as the fusable link between the battery and the alternator and everything was fine.