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05-26-2018, 02:21 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Washington Township, NJ
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Burning wiring harness
Was working on my 30 roadster today putting on a dual updraft manifold and carbs. I started it multiple times as I the was adjusting the Idle and the battery was running low. While starting, It began to smoke from the dash and the wires started a small fire. I pulled the dash and the amp meter wires were burning. (It has a stock 6volt system). I pulled the amp meter and its wires. I ran a 10 AWG jumper instead of amp meter wiring. Hooked everything back up and it immediately burned the wiring harness to the generator. Any ideas on what is causing this?
I have had the car 2 years without any electrical problems. I know IÂ’ll need to replace these harnesses, but I want to figure out the problem before I ruin another harness. |
05-26-2018, 04:43 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oregon
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Re: Burning wiring harness
It is a short to ground, check things with an ohmmeter.
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05-26-2018, 07:38 PM | #3 |
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Location: Louisiana
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Re: Burning wiring harness
Bad cut out.
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05-26-2018, 08:41 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Between Seattle & Tacoma
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Re: Burning wiring harness
Did it start smoking the second time with the key on or off? I’m assuming you disconnected the battery to jumper the amp meter? Then reconnected.
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05-26-2018, 08:45 PM | #5 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alabama
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Re: Burning wiring harness
I agree with Gary .The points in the cut out are probably stuck . The cut out problem had probably caused the generator to try and motor . The generator would get pretty hot and weaken the battery. Overloading the system caused more heat and wires started to burn . If the cutut is really bad , it can be gutted and a diode can be added to replace the troublesome cut out points . Bratton lists a diode conversion kit for six dollars and ninety five cents on page 73 of their catalog . A better but more expensive replacement for the cfut out is the Fun Projects can style voltage regulator .I have used both with excellent results .
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05-26-2018, 08:59 PM | #6 |
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Re: Burning wiring harness
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05-26-2018, 09:13 PM | #7 |
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Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Washington Township, NJ
Posts: 11
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Re: Burning wiring harness
Thanks for the responses. It burned with the key off almost instantaneously after I added the jumper and reconnected the battery. I just pulled the cutout cover and the points are not stuck shut. I have had intermittent problems with the brake switch. Could this be the cause?
I bought the starter fuse last week and obviously didn’t get it installed quick enough. Just glad it happened when I was there or the car and my house would have went up in flames. I’ve never seen wires burn like that. They were completely burned. |
05-27-2018, 12:44 AM | #8 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
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Re: Burning wiring harness
Yes, my money is on the brake switch being shorted to ground.
Take it apart and fix it, or buy a quality switch from A&L. |
05-27-2018, 11:38 AM | #9 |
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Re: Burning wiring harness
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05-27-2018, 10:30 PM | #10 |
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Re: Burning wiring harness
FWIW, As a young lad of 15, I burned up not one but two wiring harnesses in my first ever vehicle, an AA. (Didn't learn my lesson the first time) Bought the replacement harness at JC Whitney (about $5), the NOS Amp gauge (still in the Ford box) from our local "wrecking yard" (25¢).
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05-28-2018, 07:05 AM | #11 |
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Marana Arizona
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Re: Burning wiring harness
Glad you were there to get it under control before it spread. There is ALWAYS a blessing hidden in these adventures. You have already acknowledged one here. Chap
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05-28-2018, 08:56 AM | #12 |
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Location: Eagle Bend, MN
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Re: Burning wiring harness
You DEFINITELY need to install the fuse or a breaker. There are just no good reasons not to do it. As Tom says, carefully take your stop light switch apart and repair it. Too many of the repros are no good/poor Q.
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05-28-2018, 01:12 PM | #13 |
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Location: Gold Country
Posts: 64
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Re: Burning wiring harness
My short was at the horn. Thankfully, there was no fire as the car was parked in the attached garage. Replaced all my wiring and have had a fuse ever since. I too, had my car for over 20 years at the time without any problems.
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05-28-2018, 09:21 PM | #14 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Washington Township, NJ
Posts: 11
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Re: Burning wiring harness
It was the brake light switch. Odd that it burned the amp gage wires first but they appear to be the smallest gauge.
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05-29-2018, 09:04 AM | #15 |
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Location: Marana Arizona
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Re: Burning wiring harness
I knew you would track it down. Good job, Chap
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05-30-2018, 04:33 PM | #16 |
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Re: Burning wiring harness
Good job!
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05-31-2018, 08:50 AM | #17 |
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Location: michigan
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Re: Burning wiring harness
Great news a real learning experience for me thanks
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05-31-2018, 12:36 PM | #18 |
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Redondo Beach, CA
Posts: 5,849
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Re: Burning wiring harness
Good to see you found the problem. I hope you have installed your fuse along with a Master Cutoff Switch on the Battery Ground Cable.
Now the hard part is getting the replacement smoke back in the wires... Last edited by Y-Blockhead; 05-31-2018 at 12:58 PM. |
06-01-2018, 08:53 AM | #19 | |
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Re: Burning wiring harness
Quote:
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If you don't hear a rumor by 10 AM, start one!. Got my education out behind the barn! Last edited by katy; 06-01-2018 at 08:54 AM. Reason: Addition |
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