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BUSY BOLTERS Are you one?  The Shop Area
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Jul 21st, 2025 | | | | Joined: Jul 2019 Posts: 51 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2019 Posts: 51 | I had a small fire under the dash starting the truck. There is a mix of old and new wiring. Assuming I am just looking for a bad connection, or insulation that has worn off. But how do I make sure it’s not going to happen again? | | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 7,442 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 7,442 | What truck are you working on?
Martin
'62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress)
'47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project)
‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily)
‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence)
“I fought the law and the law won" now I are a retired one!
Support those brave men/women who stand the "Thin Blue Line"! Hug a cop!
USAF 1965-1969 Weather Observation Tech (I got paid to look at the clouds)
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2021 Posts: 389 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2021 Posts: 389 | Well having had this happen to me before. lets start with basics.
1) make sure you find it. as in well "i moved stuff around and it stopped" is not the answer. two man job. one watching one controlling power on and off battery. Remove known good power from equation by pulling fuses.
2) Since your asking on this site. It means your original wiring is really old. And brittle. So other than a loose connection my bet is on bad insulation.
3) want to eliminate it from happening again. Rewire all the old. And make sure the new wiring is protected from rub especially on metal. And since its a old vehicle there is mountains of metal edges for rubs compared to todays modern vehicles.
After our third electrical fire on old wiring just from driving it often and the insulation rubbing off or breaking. Complete rewire was done and only electrical issues after that were ones cause by laziness on my part. Todays full wire kits come really nice with color coding and most have what the wire goes to printed all down the wire so it make installation really easy other than finding time. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 4,168 "Hey! I sound like Darth Vader!! | | "Hey! I sound like Darth Vader!! Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 4,168 | If you want to narrow it down, since the vehicle didn't spontaneously combust, you can assume that the circuit that caught fire is on the switched side of the ignition switch. Also, before moving anything, you can start to pinpoint the source by looking for darkened or blackened areas of the harness. | | | | | Joined: Jul 2019 Posts: 51 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2019 Posts: 51 | The vehicle is a 1951 Chevy 3600. And yes to the guesses, it was an original wire from the ignition switch, and agree that it likely some wearing took place to a point where it arced to the dash brace metal. To get through the Minnesota winter I'll replace that wire, then next summer replace with complete wiring harness. I was looking to do a wiring harness replacement anyway. There's just a bit more incentive now. While I'm under there I'll look for any other rub points on any remaining original wire. THANK YOU! | | |
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