Weird electrical smell.... - Diesel Forum

Kaliburz · 10-03-2008, 04:32 PM

Okay, something "new" for the old 1990 IDI van.

This seems to have been a recent development. Twice I've smelled this odor right at start up. It smells like an electrical related smell, but not the smell like burned insulation. So far it's been present when I glow plug and start. And I can smell it inside AND outside....

The glow plugs cycle fine and it starts okay. (Though I think a battery might be weak). It has been 'cool' lately, but nothing below 36.

I can't really describe the smell. It's electrical in nature, but the closest thing I can think of is an arcing type odor... when something arcs. But I don't know what could be arcing.....

Some friends say I should check the GP solenoid (since it's in the back of the engine). Other say to check the battery posts.... might be loose and arcing. Hope it's not the starter going out.....

Kind of a mystery.... ideas??? Thanks!

cdnsarguy · 10-03-2008, 09:08 PM

Battery cables will go bad inside the plastic coating....... usually causes 1 battery to do all the work.

beaker · 10-04-2008, 10:15 AM

I burned a few wires on my IDI glow plug harness. I never smelled anything, but you might want to run a continuity check to eliminate this as a cause.

Kaliburz · 10-09-2008, 03:51 PM

Thanks. The cables do look original..... (gulp). Batts look like newer Motorcraft, but I'll have to get things tested before cold cold weather....

Kaliburz · 10-22-2008, 04:33 PM

The good news...
Batteries were checked and cleaned. One was over it's rated capacity of 750CCA, but both tested good. I cleaned the termnals good and added a spacer fix (since the OEM cable clamps were maxed closed). Any ways, she spins over a LOT faster...good thing.

The bad news.....
She won't start now. I glow plug it.... light comes on, goes off, but no go. Burning smell seems to be gone. I haven't taken off the engine cover to see if the GP controller is toast. I tried plugging in the block warmer and she still starts hard. I wonder if it's electrical related or fuel (as in a leak in the return line that people talk of.....)

As of now, I'm too busy w/ harvest to check on things.....

cdnsarguy · 10-22-2008, 09:41 PM

Fast rotation of the engine is required ......of you can count rotations it's too slow

Quote:

One was over it's rated capacity of 750CCA

Sorry 850 CCA for each battery minimum...........

Kaliburz · 10-22-2008, 11:47 PM

850CCA????

Well, the battery stickers say their rating is 750CCA. I guess the govt. agency who had this thing didn't put the right ones.... or the dealer sold them the wrong ones. They are Motorcraft brand batteries.

I can't count the revolutions when it cranks. It's nice and fast, at least to me....just shy to as fast as my buddies 7.3L IDI in his 250.

The last time I tried the block warmer, it was only plugged in 45 min. But it should have fired right up though.... still had to spin over for some time..... But after it ran 5 min, restarting was no issue.

Kaliburz · 11-09-2008, 02:27 PM

I finally got a second chance to see what was wrong w/ my glow plug system. It was neither the controller OR the relay. It was closer to what beaker said....

Quote:

Originally Posted by beaker

I burned a few wires on my IDI glow plug harness. I never smelled anything, but you might want to run a continuity check to eliminate this as a cause.

... but it wasn't on the glow plug wire side. My problem was the power supply wire (or cable). That 8 guage (??) wire that goes to the relay that is always hot. Using the old trusty test light, I got no power coming to the gp relay. Wiggling the wiring harness that supply wire is in, I got it to work.... so I guess. I had power right after the harness plug that is right above the alternator. Something happened to the wire. My guess, it's somewhere near where that harness merges w/ the rest of the engine harness at a 90 degree turn.

Any how, rather then take appart the harness (in a confined space and w/ cool/cold temps), I just ran a new wire to bypass the OEM supply line. A new 4 gauge supply line wired to the battery with a Maxi fuse to protect it. Currently, it has a 200amp rated fuse, but a mechanic friend said I should change that to something much lower. So, how many amps does the GP system pull??? I was thinking of putting in a 100 amp, but he said to put in something near 80? Suggestions, comments???

By the way, how hard is it to find a replacement harness? I'm not sure how bad really is w/ that wire. Someday (summer), I might open it up and look for the bad spot and fix it.... I suppose that harness is concidered the engine compartment harness, since it appears to be the only one there... all the gauges and such run through it.

The old van started right up after fixing it.... though I unpluged it from the warmer when I first started working on it.

PS and yes, I did tape off the original supply wire to make sure it doesn't ground out.....