LT1 Based Engine Tech 1993-1997 LT1/LT4 Engine Related

Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

Old Nov 12, 2005 | 11:30 AM
  #1  
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Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

So my bottle heater switch kept blowing fuses...people told me to wire it directly to the battery. Wired it directly to the battery, reconnected everything, then I hear "TSSSSS", kinda like my purge, so I figure my purge button was being pressed since the knee panel was leaning against the seat.

....Then I see smoke coming out from inside my car. I jumped into the car, saw that all my N2O wires were on fire, so I grabbed them with my bare hand and ripped them out. My middle finger looks like beef jerky.

Now the thing is, the wire that I just ran directly to the battery is NOT burned...all the others are. I'm afraid to even reconnect my battery, let alone work up the motivation to re-wire everything





Old Nov 12, 2005 | 11:33 AM
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Re: Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

You just got a lesson in why every wire that goes to the battery needs to be fused
Old Nov 12, 2005 | 11:42 AM
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Re: Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

Originally Posted by FastZinTennessee
You just got a lesson in why every wire that goes to the battery needs to be fused
Yeah but...why would it happen to the other wires and not the wire that I just ran to the battery? Could it be a ground problem?
Old Nov 12, 2005 | 11:56 AM
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Re: Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

It was the accessory wire that runs from the heater switch to the back of the car.
Old Nov 12, 2005 | 11:57 AM
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Re: Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

A wire will usually burn from the point of the problem (usually where it's grounded out) towards the power source. You probably pulled the wires loose before they burned to the power wire going to the battery.
Old Nov 12, 2005 | 12:00 PM
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Re: Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

So that means what?

After looking closer. it was just the accy wire from the switch to the heater relay...it melted all the electrical tape and a few surrounding wires, but it looks like it was just that wire that caught on fire.
Old Nov 12, 2005 | 12:03 PM
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Re: Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

Also, is this why it kept blowing fuses? What would cause this?
Old Nov 12, 2005 | 12:07 PM
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Re: Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

Double check your relay wiring, some how you've got that wire that melted shorted to ground. I'd bet it's through the relay. Go write down the pin #'s on the relay, what wires they are going to and post so I can figure it out.
Old Nov 12, 2005 | 12:12 PM
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Re: Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

30 is power, 87 is to the heater, 85 is the switch, and 86 is ground.
Old Nov 12, 2005 | 12:48 PM
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Re: Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

Your wiring sounds fine. These things are hard to troubleshoot these things in person, much less over the web, but I'd start by looking at either a bad relay or somewhere along the line your accessory wire is pinched and shorting to ground.

The first thing you need to do though, is put a fuse on ALL your wires that are getting power at any time. Obviously don't worry about the ground(s), but fuse all power wires.
Old Nov 12, 2005 | 12:55 PM
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Re: Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

I had a problem with a bad switch causing my remote opener to blow fuses, and when I put larger fuses in it, the wires got hot.
Old Nov 12, 2005 | 12:58 PM
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Re: Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

^I think I'll replace the switch, and wire everything back up with 12ga wire...
Old Nov 13, 2005 | 02:02 AM
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Re: Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

ttt, any other input is very much appreciated.
Old Nov 13, 2005 | 04:58 PM
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Re: Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

Looks like the N2O main feed line ate right through the power wire for the relay. Would this have caused my problems?
Old Nov 13, 2005 | 05:04 PM
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Re: Car almost caught on fire....need help ASAP

Yes, if it's the metallic braided hose like I think it is..... The hose braiding was grounded.

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