Unknown spinning causes small fire

[underdog1924]

So I was sitting in my room tonight when my mom comes down and says she smells something burning. We go outside and see smoke coming from my car (95 ATX). I open the hood and smoke is everywhere. I also hear something spinning. Undo the battery and it stops. The smoke and sound was coming from the middle, front. I think it was the starter spinning around for a few hours. Nothing seems too bad, perhaps one burnt plug/wire near the starter, though I couldn't see because it's 9:00 PM.

When I got out of the car this afternoon everything seemed fine and the car has been running fine for a while now. An ideas on what the problem is? Also, I'm done with the car, I'm tired of surprise things popping up ruining things. I'll take a look at it tomorrow and see what you guys have to say. After that it'll probably be in SHO Trader soon.

 

[Yamaha V6]

Cooling fan? If your starter was running, you'd know it.

 

[underdog1924]

Possibly. Any idea why it started? But with that little "hot spot" I saw, part of the wire harness is probably melted now. I'm done with this thing.

<small>[ August 22, 2003, 09:29 PM: Message edited by: underdog1924 ]</small>

 

[Mr Anonymous]

If you have any trouble figuring it out, email me and I can probably stop by and look at it for you. I fly out of the Lawrence airport most Saturdays and could swing by after. I might know a buyer for it too if you're really set on letting it go.

 

[underdog1924]

That would be cool. It might be something stupid easy, but I'm pretty dead set on letting it go. I love driving it and it's so much fun, but all the times it's left me on the side of the road or worrying about what's gonna break next has gotten the best of me.

Feel free to email or IM me if you want to swing by or talk more about purchasing it.

[email protected]
AIM- underdog1924
Yahoo- underdog_19

 

[underdog1924]

I just tried it out again. Reconnected the battery and saw a wire get white hot and and smoke up. Disconnected the battery and it stopped. I'm done with this car. Once I find out what the problem is, it's in SHO Trader.

 

[rangerj]

Underdog,

Check the cooling fan relay! If the relay "sticks" it will cause the fan to run, but this will not cause a smoke or fire situation.

If the fan motor is "gummed up" it will cause resistance in the wires and that will heat up the wires, which could get hot enough to cause the wires to melt the insulation and possibly start a fire.

Watch your fan when it is running. Is it running freely and robustly? If it is sluggish or slow the motor needs to be rebuilt or replaced.

If it was the starter motor, and I doubt that it was, it would also have to be a "relay" problem. In the case of the starter it would have to be the solenoid, which is a "relay".

It is highly unlikely, but not impossible, to activate the starter with out activating the starters bendix. The starter would try to turn over the engine, and this would run down the battery within 5 to 10 minutes, if that!

I do not think a battery would last for "hours" with a free turning starter. The starter can be tested with an "Amp draw" test to determine if it is turning "freely" enough, or if it is "gummed up" and drawing too many amps.

If you think the little surprises the SHO brings your way a tough, try getting married and having kids! You are in for a shock! laughing rangerj

 

[underdog1924]

That's probably what happened. I'm just going to leave it till I get some one to look at it. Then if it isn't too much to fix, fix it and sell it. I can't even have the battery connected for 30 sec without it lighting up again.

I know the pains of the SHO. Had this one for 2 years and haven't gone two months without a problem since.

 

[underdog1924]

So how screwed am I if the wire that is shorted/exposed is part of the wiring harness and not the wire coming from the fan motor?

 

[underdog1924]

SHOooo:
If you have any trouble figuring it out, email me and I can probably stop by and look at it for you. I fly out of the Lawrence airport most Saturdays and could swing by after. I might know a buyer for it too if you're really set on letting it go.

Sent you a PM

 

[underdog1924]

So it turns out that the anti skid relay toasted. It took along with it the larger of the two connectors. Luckily it seems that only one of the wires is fried. So now I'm on the hunt for the relay and connector. Then she's on the selling block!

I know I can get the relay from FPN (replaced it last year cuss ) but the connector is going to be harder. If anyone can help me locate one I would greatly appreciate it.