Fire under dash....

[KnuckleHead]

Here is the deal, The last snow storm we got, I almost had a fire in the K5. I started the truck and let it warm up for about 3-5 min. Went to the gas station and filled up. Got back it the truck, turned the key to the start position and saw smoke coming from under the dash. I turned the truck off and no more smoke. Got out and took a look under the dash, nothing, no smoke no fire no burnt wires. I turned the key back on and again saw smoke. This time I saw where it was coming from, so I took a closer look at the wires around that area. Again no warm or burnt wires. On the 3rd try, I turn the key, no smoke, so I start the truck and and get to looking for anything, nothing so I get it home. Ed ( southpaw) came over to give me a hand. We drop the steering column and checked all the wires were I saw the smoke coming from. He nor I could see any burnt or melted wires. We started the truck and felt around all the wires thinking 1 has got to be hot or something, but as luck would have it, nothing.

Ed and I went out driving around playing in the snow for about 3 hours without any problems to my truck. I have been driving the truck off and on this week still without any problems. The only bad thing is, I can still smell a hit of burnt wiring. I keep checking and feeling the wires as I drive and when I come to stops just to make sure. Also I have placed my fire ext right next to me between the seats for that " just in case feeling ".

Does anyone have any idea what could have caused this or anything else I should check as the problem/source?

[Robert B]

mines never had smoke but if i have the heater going full blast i get a tiny hint of that buring rubber/plastic smell i think mine is just the fan motor getting hot cause once i turn it down its fine ....i dont know if yours might be the same or not but just a thought..no idea on the smoke though

[transplant87]

Well happy i dont think you can smell smoke or burnt wires any more, sence you hit the fire ext last night by miss hap.

[Hypoid]

Smokes with the key on, dropped the steering column to look...I'm taking a wild guess and syaing that the smoke was around the ignition switch. Is this the original, 22-year-old switch?

In the older vehicles, the ignition switch, heater switch, headlight switch, and cigarette lighter were tasked with handling significant current loads. As they age, they develop resistance, which builds heat, which develops increased resistance. It's a constant process, both inside the switch, and at the connection to the wiring harness.

I can't count the times I've had harness connectors disintegrate in my hand, or were melted onto the switch terminals. I know that at least once, I've disconnected the harness from the back of a bad switch and had the terminal stuck in the harness. The bakelite that held the electrical contacts had burned though. :eek:

You might want to think about replacing old switches as preventative maintence. Waiting until a switch fails compounds the initial problem. If you have not already done it, think about putting relays between the switch and the headlights. It is an easy mod to keep power handling out of the cabin and under the hood.

[scout man]

There is also a possibility than a thin piece of wire, or metal, or some other unknown conductor got into a connection somehow. An example on a slightly larger scale... I was trying out my new winch the other day, and as soon as I closed the solenoid so the motor would turn I saw intense amount of smoke coming from somewhere.. couldnt find it, so I tried it again. Turns out that the hose clamp that holds the solenoid on was slightly contacting the hot lug, providing a short between the motor casing and the hot wire wire. In just seconds this hose clamp got red hot and smoking. If you had and old piece of wire floating around in there, or maybe some metal dust from running a grinder or something, it could have made contact somewhere and burned itself up already. Just a thought

[KnuckleHead]

relays between the switch and the headlights
This I have already done as I upgraded the lights this summer. I knew that the old wires were not going to be up to par plus the light switch is what gets the power. I am only using the one wire from the switch to the driver head light and re-did the rest with fresh new wire.
The smoke it's self was coming from the harness where the blinker/wipers switch plugs in to just at the end of the column.. I would guess that it is the original ignition switch and prob needs to be changed.

I too thought that maybe something just fell between the contact points. I've heard that dust can do this....? The other day I took out the dash and blew it all out with the compressor.... So far so good, I just keep a watch out for it.

[KnuckleHead]

Well happy i dont think you can smell smoke or burnt wires any more, sence you hit the fire ext last night by miss hap.
:lmao: wont happen again as I have moved it back to where I had it.... :thunb:

[scout man]

:lmao: wont happen again as I have moved it back to where I had it.... :thunb:

Note that if you have fired the compressor already, even just a little bit, it will most likely continue to leak pressure rather rapidly (might take a week, might take a month to leak out). It should really be replaced after being fired like that. If not, at least keep an eye on it real frequently to make sure the pressure dial is still in the green.

[KnuckleHead]

Note that if you have fired the compressor already, even just a little bit, it will most likely continue to leak pressure rather rapidly (might take a week, might take a month to leak out). It should really be replaced after being fired like that. If not, at least keep an eye on it real frequently to make sure the pressure dial is still in the green.
Oh I will be. I learned that one year the hard way. Hit it by mistake and when needed it was all gone..... It's a full sized one so hopefully it makes it till the end of the week. My boss is a fire fighter and has a few extras at his house, only he's out of town till Thursday....

[KnuckleHead]

Note that if you have fired the compressor already, even just a little bit, it will most likely continue to leak pressure rather rapidly (might take a week, might take a month to leak out). It should really be replaced after being fired like that. If not, at least keep an eye on it real frequently to make sure the pressure dial is still in the green.
Yeah learned that the hard one time. Hit it by mistake and when needed it was worthless. It's a full sized one that I hope makes it till the end of the week. My boss, whom is out of town, has some extra ones at his house. Seeing as he's a fire fighter he can get it re-filled and I'll just take a new one :2thumbup:

[KnuckleHead]

Sorry for double post, first 1 said it didn't go through.... oh well

[scout man]

blame aaron

[sunk]

Smoke?! burt wires!!? Not good...now that the smoke has gone away, have you checked to see if any fuses have popped? Is there any aftermarket wiring?

[tonkatoy]

hey happy !!!!!quit hiding bags of stuff under/inside the dash and maybe you wonthave "smoking" issues

[KnuckleHead]

Smoke?! burt wires!!? Not good...now that the smoke has gone away, have you checked to see if any fuses have popped? Is there any aftermarket wiring?
There is some aftermarket wiring but nowhere close to where the smoke was coming from. I have checked all fuses, :thumb:, and everything works as it should. I'm starting to think that it was a fluke or something got in between the contact points.....

[KnuckleHead]

hey happy !!!!!quit hiding bags of stuff under/inside the dash and maybe you wonthave "smoking" issues
Now you know there is nowhere to hide anything in our dashes... :lmao:, besides I keep all my stuff up in my light bar, dogs can't smell that high.... :D