Rep Power: 0

Was driving my '98 DX when I smelled a faint electrical burning smell, then the car lost power. No lights, no crank. With battery leads connected, battery voltage is near 0 VDC. With battery leads disconnected, battery voltage begins climbing back up from near 0 VDC back up to 12 VDC. The faint burnt smell is in engine compartment even after 2 days. So, either battery can't support a load, or a big short is holding down the voltage? Any ideas fellas?

 
Rep Power: 518

Unbolt the alternator hot lead from the fusebox and recheck.
Wire will be either white or white/red.

If joy, then disconnect battery, reconnect lead at fusebox, then disconnect large wire from the alternator itself and retry.

 
Rep Power: 0

What are the odds?? A full battery failure (confirmed and replaced)...and a manual transmission failure at the same time? The manual 5 speed shifts into any gear with or without clutch with engine on, and nada, no tranny. The clutch pilot reservior fluid is full. It's manual...can't be any fuses. Any guesses?

 
Rep Power: 204

check your linkage from the shifter to the transmission...maybe you lost/broke a bolt or something like that.

 
Rep Power: 0

Nope. Can visually see the linkage responding to the shifter at the back of transmission. Although I can shift into any gear without the clutch and no grinding and engine on, when I do the same thing with clutch being let out I do see a minor drop in RPMs, but no stall at all. Clutch or transmission?

 
Rep Power: 518

A wasted clutch would explain "faint burnt smell is in engine compartment even after 2 days"