Electrical Fire
I moved my 56 into the other side of the garage a couple of weeks ago. I turned the key off, closed the doors and moved my wifes car back in and then saw smoke rolling from under the hood and under the dash. I disconnected the battery and looked for the cause. I found the right side sheilding very black and it looked like the sheilding had possibly cut into the wiring and started the fire. Fast forward to today. I replaced the ignition wiring which was the only wiring damaged. Made sure the key was off, and hooked up the quick disconnect on the battery. With in seconds the new wiring started smoking. When I hooked it up, I always here the clock wind and the doors were open, but no courtesy lights and then it started smoking. What do you guys think? Short in starter or solenoid? Firewall resistor? I never had this problem before. The car is a body off and is never driven, although I do run the engine every so often.
-
-
Re: Electrical Fire
Jerry
Very scary.
To identify the culpret, You might try disconnecting all the suspects and then reconnect one at a time.
Steve -
Re: Electrical Fire
Sounds like the Voltage regulator points stuck , remove it take the cover off and see if the points are burned. Sorry to hear about your troubles.
Comment
-
Re: Electrical Fire
Thanks Roy. I'll check that. I'm at a loss right now. I'm not an electrical expert by any means. If that turns out to be it, what causes it? I always disconnect the battery, but I didn't do it as soon as I got out of the car, but apparently this was an accident waiting to happen anyway. I'll let you know what I find.Comment
-
Re: Electrical Fire
I just removed the voltage regulator but didn't find anything wrong with the points. They didn't appear burnt or stuck, but like I said, I'm not an expert. The points look to be adjustable, but I don't know what they should be gapped at. Anything else to look at?Comment
-
Re: Electrical Fire
When I completed my frame off on my 55, It bothered me that there was no fuse on the black #10 wire coming from the starter. This wire provides power to the whole car. I temporally inserted an inline fuse on the wire and, after a few blown fuses, I found the problem. It's a lot easier to replace the fuse than it is the wiring. I still have the fuse in the circuit.
Good luck on solving the problem. FenwickComment
-
Re: Electrical Fire
Thanks Fenwick, but a fuse in the line does not solve the problem. I need to find a solution without replacing everything and still not finding out what's causing it. I know now that it's not the ignition harness.Comment
-
Re: Electrical Fire
When the short occurred (in the ignition wiring) shorting out the ignition wires to the ignition shielding thus causing short positive + to ground -. Replacing the wiring didn't solve the problem, I would look at the ignition switch it probably shorted its contacts at the same time the wiring short occurred. Start by replacing the ignition switch. (no interior lights another indication of the switch)!!! If that doesn't do the trick then get a copy of the ignition wiring diagram and a high-liter marker and a test light or even better a volt meter and do process of elimination tracing out each wire to see if its correct to the diagram and high-lite so you won't be chasing your tale checking the same wire several times. Its time consuming. Sometimes it is another wire down stream that also shorted to ground. Wish you luck and Gods speed...
Bill
Comment
-
Re: Electrical Fire
Jerry....Bill has some good ideas to check.
This would be my way of checking. You'll need a ohm-meter with some alligator clips, and ideally a helper to watch the meter.
-Disconnect battery cable to starter, and also disconnect the #14 gauge black(+12v) wire at the starter solenoid. It feeds +12v to the ammeter and the the rest of the car.
-Attach one meter clip to a good chassis ground. Attach the other meter clip to the #14 gauge black wire you took off the starter(the +12 feed going to the cluster). Note the meter reading. Chances are it is close to 0 ohms. You may want to pull the fuse for the courtesy light as the bulbs will give low ohms reading on the meter if the doors are open.
-Begin to remove items(wire terminals, plugs, etc) one at a time. I would start with lighter, clock, windshield wiper, light switch plug, brake light switch, etc. Also check that the ammeter terminals are tight and not shorted to ground. Also check the "S" and "R" terminals on the starter solenoid. You may have to remove them from the solenoid.
-Note the meter reading each time you remove an item. If the meter jumps to high ohms, you found it.
-Since your ignition switch key was in the "off" position when this happened, it seems your problem is in the feed circuit going to the ignition switch and beyond. The switch could be shorted internally, but if there is something after the switch circuit causing the short, it may lead you to think it's the switch when it is not.
Hope you find it.........
RichComment
-
Re: Electrical Fire
Check under the Ignition shielding...Many C1 shorts have started there. GM added a insulation strip on lated C1's to prevent Frying. I may also, C1 wiring has no wire harness protection; Best install a 16 gauge fusible link where the 12 gauge black wire connects to the starter.Comment
-
Re: Electrical Fire
I agree - have seen more than one '57 ignition harness fry from dead-short contact between the top of the coil (+) terminal or the brass "flag" terminal on the wire that connects to it and the inside of the top ignition shield, especially when the shield was pushed down too far when tightening the wing bolts. Orient the coil in its clamp so the "flag" terminal on the wire can't contact the inside of the shield (and add the fusible link).Comment
-
Re: Electrical Fire
John
Did they start adding the fusible link at the factory for C2s?
SteveComment
-
Re: Electrical Fire
Steve -
Yes - fusible links were added in 1967 to the main feed wire at the starter solenoid, to both battery gauge sense wires at the horn relay and the starter solenoid, and to the #2 terminal on the voltage regulator. There were no fusible links in any circuits prior to 1967.Comment
-
Re: Electrical Fire
John
Thanks. I have installed Lektric Ltd. harnesses in my 63 (almost done). I will check tonight, but should I expect to find those same fusible links that you mentioned?
SteveComment
-
Re: Electrical Fire
I think you'll find that all of the various wiring harness reproduction sources build the assy's as closely as possible to the factory original prints. So, if the original harness didn't use fusible link technology, expect the reproduction not to have it either...Comment
Comment