Ok I dont know much about car electronics in general so if I misunderstand how something works please correct me

My starter was going out, while taking it out I arc ed my socket a few times disconnecting the positive (I know I know, I was under the impression that without the key in the ignition it wouldnt be able to arc and I was being lazy), I got it out, put the new one in, went to start up the car, you could hear the starter go for about 1/2 a second before it shut off, along with all of my dash lights and now they wont turn back on. I also had to change my lead, every time I put the lead on the positive battery terminal I would hear a click from what sounded like a little off center to the left of windshield. I went to disconnect the positive for the new starter and forgot to disconnect the battery, I arc ed again and this time there was a rapid clicking noise coming from inside the cab, best I could describe it would be like inside the dash, behind the AC controls, I poped the hood and started disconnecting the battery but before I finished the clicking stopped. I havent really touched it since

So my questions
Could the first few times I arc ed it damaged the relay but not ruined it?
Would the relay work for a second when I tried to start it (hence why it tried to start for a 1/2 second) but then fail due to the amount of power needed or something?
Or was second time when I tried to disconnect the positive and arc ed and then the rapid clicking my starter relay going out?

Again I dont know jack about electrical stuff so my understanding of how somethings might be totally off

Tomorrow Ill try swapping 2 relays to see if my dash lights will turn back on, Im just concerned there might be a worse electrical issue I caused

Thanks for all help in advance.

 

First off, ALWAYS disconnect the negative/ground cable from the battery before doing ANY electrical work.

Second, what are you working on?, I'm guessing a Ranger but I have no idea of the year or engine.


Why did you think your starter was going out ?

Many starters are unnecessarily replaced because of loose or dirty battery connections.

Before doing anything else, check the battery connections, make sure they are clean and tight.

 

I have a 2000 ranger xlt with a 4.0L v6 with a 5 speed manual trans

also dont you want to disconnect the positive (the red one?) and wouldnt there be no negative? Unless negitive is the ground (the black one)??

again I dont know anything about electrical stuff XD

 

All electricity must travel in a "circuit", a circle, in order to provide power to a device, that's why Lamps have 2 wires, or speakers have 2 wires, one wire wouldn't work, no "circle"

When the engine is off the only electricity in a vehicle is from the battery, if you disconnect either battery cable, positive or negative the "circle" is broken, electricity can not "move"
That's how any switch works, it disconnects one of the two wires, and no more circuit

Negative is the more common cable to disconnect because of vehicles in the past that used different electrical devices the were "polarity"(+/-) sensitve

Ground is the common name for Negative Battery connections in a vehicle's DC electrical system, its quite different than the "ground" in a home AC electrical system, in a home AC system "ground' wires are actually connected to the Planet Earth, the Ground, lol, this is a safety measure, not to power anything
Not the case in a vehicle system, the ground/negative connection is part of the circuit, if disconnected then NO power can flow, circle is broken


Your description reads like you have a bad battery connection, relays "clicking" means they have a bad connection to positive or negative
A "click" and then all lights go out also means bad connection
Remove and clean BOTH battery cables and battery terminals, then put them back on and tighten them up, tight