neg cable end on battery smoking when cranking up engine and stays hot

I'd suspect the negative terminal is your problem. If the wire isn't crimped properly or has become corroded inside the terminal, this will increase resistance. Resistance equals heat. Using a digital multimeter, check the resistance from the engine block to the negative post on the battery. Should be very close to 0. If not, go from the negative terminal to the negative post on the battery. Should be very close to 0. If not, that is your problem.

The cable may be broken at one point. I would thoroughly inspect the cable and if you feel any areas that are thinner or have broken wires, replace the ground cable. Also make sure it's tight at both ends. Alex