Q: Turns over really slow then fires up and starts and around 70 MPh rpms jump up and it shifts into an almost 1/2 neutral 1/2 drive

Hello.

From what you describe it would appear that your vehicle is experiencing more than one issue. In regards to your starting issue, slow cranking is usually caused by a bad battery or starter. I would start by testing the battery to make sure it’s holding a charge and has enough cranking power to start the vehicle. If the battery is good I would move on to checking the starter, which may require that it be removed. A smoking wire is usually caused by a loose ground, or an old wire that can no longer handle the amount of current that is being pulled through it. I would look at the ground wire in question to make sure that it’s properly secured, and does not shows any signs of corrosion or damage to the wire. Your high speed performance issue can be caused by many things. It sounds like the issue could be transmission or engine related. It may be possible that the engine is misfiring or that the transmission is slipping, under heavy load. If the Check Engine Light is on I would start by pulling the trouble codes to see if they may shed some light on the issue. If there is no light, I would start by trying to determine if the issue is engine or transmission related.