Burning smell

[Riceburner]

I've driven my zed Quite a bit in the last two weeks and I have noticed a burning smell when running with the lights on. I've had a quick look around and can't notice anything obvious..... Any ideas? It smells like burnt wiring insulation, stinks to high heaven! I have H4's 60/55's and separate relays for high and low beam.

[RB30X]

Have you changed your diet lately. Eating a lot of spicy food perhaps.

[Riceburner]

Haha, I new that putting extra peri peri on my nandos would end in disaster! Is there any known weak points or hot spots in the wiring looms? It's definately coming from inside the car and is so strong I have to put the window down....... Not the for the reason your thinking

[luvemfast]

Maybe not worth messing about mate and take it to an auto elec?

[benny]

maybe from the stalk?? something may not be wired correctly and putting more load on the stalk??

[Riceburner]

I did the relay upgrade years ago so the stalk just triggers the relay coils. We have a thermal imaging camera at work for use on switchboards. I might give that a try when the car is running with everything on, should work I think?

[reverendzed]

Gareth, something worth checking...is it coming from the rear of the vehicle during times of rapid acceleration from a standing start? if so, it may be due to loss of traction causing friction to be applied to the latex compound causing implosion of the kinetic energy = BURNOUT!

Rev

[RB30X]

At least you've narrowed it down to lights. I'd check inside the steering colum cover as mentioned and check the amp draw on the battery too.

[luvemfast]

We have a thermal imaging camera at work for use on switchboards.

that would do it

[Riceburner]

Ha. I don't do burnouts Rev, my cars just a stocker and I drive it like a granny  I'll have a look a the column switches tonight then use the camera tomorrow.

[zeds4ever]

Hey Gareth, sent your "speedo" off today mate.

         

                                                                            Regards: Alan. 

[Riceburner]

Not the kind of burnout I Like to see!  I found this above the gas pedal, there is two of them one looks to have a large gauge white wire and the large gauge burt one is hard to make out maybe red, so I'm thinking it an ignition wire??? Anyone know what it is and what it feeds, they both are run separately to the main loom and each has extra heat shrink on them.....

[Riceburner]

Looks like it's the ignition wire white with red tracer, the burning has really only damaged a few cm's of wiring and the connector. What the pic doesn't show is the back side of the connector, has a hole the size of a watch battery  The two spade terminals came apart very easily once the plastic was broken away, so I think it was just a poor connection that caused it??? 

[RB30X]

That sounds like the white with red stripe wire that runs through your amp meter before everything else.

Yeah, maybe poor connection causing heat??

[Zedman240®]

Any high resistance connection causes heat; especially one that carries so much current! Best thing is to replace those connectors with new ones, don't bother cleaning them.

[Riceburner]

The spade terminals inside the connector seemed very loose when together and they were full of melted plastic, this would only make the connection worse I imagine. I'll be checking the rest of the connections under the dash