6T7L71CPE

Cruising along this weekend enjoying the cool air, we get a wiff of burning wire. Nothing but the parking lights on, I turned them off, about 20 seconds later another wiff of burning wire. Car didn't hesitate and didn't blow a fuse, if the AMP meter fluctuated I didn't see it.

I disconnected the bulkhead connectors at the engine firewall, they look fine. No wires laying on exhaust. I looked over the engine bay harnesses and under the dash, no melting or residual smell.
Assuming it's not a hidden loose/frayed wire shorting, what is powered up that would cause this and not blow a fuse? The fusible links in the engine bay still look fine. I replaced them in the past, they looked to have taken a hit at one time. Charging circuit? I'm running a rebuilt alternator and original regulator. Could the regulator have caused a surge? It may be time for a solid state regulator or convert to a 10SI.
Any thoughts or similar experience? Thanks

67L36Driver

Charging circuit.

For no more than what a solid state regulator costs, no one should run an original point type. Points can stick and overcharge battery and overheat wires. Amp/volt meter is wired through the bulkhead connector which my be a marginal connection and not indicate a momentary problem.

Russ T Gate

I had a problem like yours in my 67, turned out to be under the dash. The main harness had rubbed on the speaker mounts and frayed some wires, I would get a wiff of burning wires and a no start or the car would quit running on occasions. I replaced the whole system with a new harness.
Good luck
Russ

rick knight

I had a occasional faint burning smell in my 66 just last month.I traced it to the iginition switch & when I removed the lock tumbler the odor was really strong. After replacing the switch I took the old one apart & found it had arced across two terminals.

6T7L71CPE

I found that AUTOZONE has a WELLS VR715 listed for the '67. However I believe it's only rated at 60 AMPS. NAPA online doesn't list the '67. My rebuilt ALT was tested at 65 AMPS. I'm sure this would only be a problem if the battery was pretty dead. Does anyone know of a solid state regulator rated higher?

BarryK

try this one:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/I...21268610363699

magicv8

It looks like the heavy duty Transpo that I have in my 66.

The ammeter is not protected if either the starter or horn relay wires that feed it are shorted, and the gauge is expensive. I hung a 1 amp fuse on mine. The battery line that feeds the ignition switch is unprotected. The primary ignition wire to the coil is also unprotected. I put a 10 amp fuse on mine, since I have Pertronix and an electric choke running off that.

I made my own main dash harness after noting the original fried due to the A-C and blower control harness fried after years of rubbing on the temp control cable it was laying across. It doesn't lay there anymore.

IMO if you are smelling wires burning and can't find the source: First, install a battery disconnect and never leave the car unattended with the battery connected. Second, get a Halon extinguisher for your car.

Good luck.

JohnZ

That's true for pre-'67 cars, but both ammeter sense wires (at the horn relay and at the starter solenoid) got fusible links in '67, as did the main power feed to the ignition switch (at the solenoid).

67L36Driver

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/I...21268610363699
Bargin! Why risk a boiled battery and the attendent acid damage with a mechanical regulator.

babbah

Is the Wells VR715 at autozone Electronic or mechanical?

It sounds from the price that it is electronic, as the one from JC Penney listed abouve is $10 bucks......

Why are these so cheap and the mechanical units are 2 - 3 times more in cost?

magicv8

They probably come direct from Chinese supplier/chipmaker to the seller. My Transpo d9212s is imported by a FL company that does not sell retail, so I ended up buying from a local store and paying more than a mechanical unit would have cost. Jobbers and truckers cost money too.

6T7L71CPE

I removed the ignition switch but it looks new, looks and smells fine. However, the “HOT” pink wire terminal looks to have been warmed up in the past. I’ll continue to probe for problems behind the dash. I’ll need a Chiropractor soon. As far as replacement regulators, the JCW looks too good to be true. It states its rating, most don’t and it’s way CHEAPER than NAPA’s $15 or $50 asking price. I believe the expensive ones are mechanical. I found the TRANSPO heavy duty on their site but it doesn’t list its rating or where to get it. I E-mailed WELLS and they say their VR715 can handle the 65 AMP alternator. I think my next step is to investigate the Steering column. Thanks for all the help.

BarryK

6T7
the link I offered on the JCW unit is one that was given to me by Subfixer. He used the same unit on his '64 when he upgraded his alternator. He said that so far it's been working fine. For $10.00 it's hard to beat. I'll be ordering the same unit when I upgrade my own alternator in another month or so.

6T7L71CPE

Follow-up:
I removed the dash and unraveled all the harness tape and found no obvious signs of overheating wires. I gave up looking after seeing how brittle and nasty the rest of cars wiring looked. Lectric Limited to the rescue! I received the complete car wiring yesterday. Wow it looks nice. Hummm, now that I have that cluster out......I might as well.....

BarryK

uh oh....... I know THAT feeling very now.........
funny how things seem to snowball on projects isn't it.

I just wrote an article for our Vette Club newsletter called
" Whileyouareatityoumightaswellas is a disease".

67L36Driver

The downfall of many a 'vette owner.

Grey Ghost

I inhaled, saw and smelled smoke ! See my thread a few weeks ago. My flasher seemed to have arced and burned all the way to a factory splice. A $10.00 clamp to hold the flasher was missing. I have spent close to $500.00 for repairs and I did the work myself...

Yea, I got into the "while I am there."

I just finished this project on my 65. Let me know, if you have any questions. I suggest ordering the bulb kit. I spent more buying individual blister packs than if I had bought the kit.

magicv8

Most of the red, pink, and orange wires under the dash are not protected by fuses. The 67 engine harness has links that are supposed to protect the Battery meter and the main (red) cabin supply, but smaller wires (like the ignition line to the coil) will fry to powder before the protection kicks in. I put a fuse in the line on my car. Other things that can cause the smell are radio, wiper motor, or heat/A-C blower.

PS Common cause of engine harness self destruct is heat at the starter wire connections. If your car has PG, check the neutral/BUlamp switch and harness in the console.

w1ctc

Check the clock. The rewind soleniod can smoke but not draw much current.

6T7L71CPE

Thanks for the helpful suggestions guys. Grey Ghost, I've been following your posts and have picked up a few good ideas, I did splurge for the bulb set. MagicV8, I'll probably do something like you have with the fuse and the bulkhead connector upgrade. I've got a remote solenoid and want to add relays for the headlights so I might as well add some more protection while I'm at it. I'd still like to figure out what smelled, nothing but the running lights were on. Clock doesn't have a ground terminal, radio, heater motor and wipers were off. Maybe once the whole harness is out I might find a clue. Later