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Topic: Smells Like Fire! (Read 1355 times) previous topic - next topic

Smells Like Fire!

so me and my uncle fixed my tranny saturday and i drove it home that night and back to the grams sunday morning with no problems. well sunday after i got back from work i went and started the car and was messing with the radio and the subs weren't hitting. so i looked and my dash was still abort so i saw my remote wire hanging. hooked it back up and fought the head unit back in place. got to the top of the street and there were so beeps in the song that wern't there before. it was my battery gauge. so my car ran perfect and no sputtering at all.so my blinkers didnt work and it started to smell like a model trainburning(what it reminded me of cause i hate that smell. got it back and shut it off but the smell was stronger outside of the car. thought i might have pinched a wire with the head unit. un hooked the battery last night. anything come to mind


sorry if i misspelled anything i cant see what im typing school has it blocked or somethingall i see is sympols
1986 Cougar LS

Smells Like Fire!

Reply #1 –
Ignition switch jumps right out at me. It's common in these cars.

You might check the fusible links near the starter solenoid on the left fender apr0n too...
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1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Smells Like Fire!

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Thunder Chicken;126371
Ignition switch jumps right out at me. It's common in these cars.

You might check the fusible links near the starter solenoid on the left fender apr0n too...


my amp wire runs right over the top of that soo and that seemed to be were the smell was coming from but it was freezing nuts last night and my fingers wouldn't move so it was hard to tell.thought it was the wire (amp) was shorting something or somthing
1986 Cougar LS

Smells Like Fire!

Reply #3 –
If your blinkers didn't work I'd start tracing those wires and any power wires that you added for any aftermarket electronics. They may not be what's shorting but might be near enough to what is that their insulation melted. Look for melted insulation or smoke. Also feel the wires because if it's shorting it will get warm. Inspect the wires really closely where they pass through any firewalls or bulkheads. Also once you find the problem, look for collateral damage. Any wires in close proximity to the shorted wires may have also melted. Keep in mind that an electrical short can quickly burn your car to the ground so be ready to disconnect your battery while you're troubleshooting.

Good luck! and happy hunting... I hate electrical shorts!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
86 5.0 Turbocoupe (Katrina), 87 5.0 Sport (Rita)

Smells Like Fire!

Reply #4 –
When doing something like that it is a good idea to have another hand just sitting at the battery. Less stress and chance of a fire.

I always have another couple of hands when I do stuff like that.
1987 Cougar XR7 5.0 SOLD
1992 Ranger 4.0
2018 Hyundai Elantra
2019 Ram Rebel
 

Smells Like Fire!

Reply #5 –
i pinched a wire on the stereo got it taken care of and everything was working fine.

was putting the console back in and was messing with the storage light and now i dont have a speedo, information center thing, clock or stereo. everything else work. thought it was a fuse but the back of the speedo and info center get bright when i turn the key.

any ideas??? going to pull the fuses i think could be the problem
1986 Cougar LS

Smells Like Fire!

Reply #6 –
just a fuse false alarm sorry but when you speedo back lights up but there are no numbers it kinda scares you
1986 Cougar LS