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Engine Compartment Electrical burning smell

JeffW

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Va
I was driving home today and the I smelled this electrical burning in the car. It was much stronger outside. I thought it was someone else. I parked in m drive way and about 15 minutes later I went on the porch and could smell the same thing very strongly from around the corner.

Something is going but I'm not sure where to start. I replaced the battery recently and my voltage sits around 12 at idle and never gets to 14. I was wondering if it cold be the alt going out? I took it for another drive this evening and it started to smell again so I turned off the A/C and when I got home I didn't smell it anymore. It doesn't smell like its coming from inside like I see with the other issues related to fan motor wiring.
 
I'd check the aux fan. If it is cooking off the motor will likely be very hot to the touch after running, I mean finger blistering hot.. If you can get close enough sniff the motor, if the windings are cooking it has a distinctive fried varnish smell. Don't sniff too much fried windings are supposed to be toxic.
 
It has to be something with the AC. I'm scared to turn it back on until I have time to look at this weekend but I haven't smelled any of it since I stopped using it. I found some posts with burning plugs from the resister fan plug that I'm going to look at. I did have the fan on position 1 when it was smoking.
 
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