The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 58 Fire - Ignition Switch help

I got in the truck to drive someone to the airport this morning and the wiring caught fire. I got a lung full of plastic smoke and broke my own record for running...for a fire extinguisher. It was a wire that goes from the ignition switch across the top of the radio and then I lose it (burned apart). Anybody know what is plugged into ignition switch? I have the manual open to "Ignition Switch Replacement" but its not making much sense. Any help is greatly appreciated. I've disconnected the battery for safety.

everything is plugged into the ign sw! can't find the other burnt end?
open the manual to the wiring diagram instead, check colors, if the wiring is still original - I doubt there's any wire that originally would have been strung across the radio, but things in that direction would either go to the heater, or out the firewall in the centre, which might be to the starter [hot, violet] or the ignition resistor/coil [green?]

Bill

I could only find charred black remaining on the wire - I'm not sure of the original colour. The wire was connected at 6 oclock on the ignition switch. I'm trying to figure out how to take the ignition switch out. I'll try and write down what is currently connected.

to get the switch off you have to unscrew the bezel, which has small notches you can push with a screwdriver to loosen - sounds like it's the red wire to the battery that got fired ... could be anything that caused it

Bill

You will need to remove the lock cyl. before you can get the switch out. Turn the key counterclockwise & insert a paper clip or similiar into the hole by the key & turn it a little further. If it is a large gauge wire it is probably yhe main feed wire. If it,s small it might a wire someone strung for the radio or heater or some other reason.

Here is a link to the back of the ignition switch. http://www.flickr.com/photos/growin/343156488/
When reviewing the wiring diagrams it shows this wire to be "Dir. Signal". Why it was laying across the top of the radio is beyond me. You can see in the pic the brass connector where it was connected.

After taking some time to figure out why there was a wire ontop of the radio, I realized the lighter wire had dropped off the back of the lighter and shorted out on the top of the radio. The pink wire next to the brown wire doesn't seem to be connected to anything at the moment so I'm trying to figure out what the white connector is connected to (it must have disconnected during the chaos). Anyone know where this goes? Thanks everyone for the help! :-)

OldBlue58,

Does this under dash barbecue constitute global warming?

Stuart

LOL. Considering it was 5C and pouring rain heavy when this happened, global warming wasn't working in my favour. I'm still a little shaken. The top of the radio looks like a barbeque grill.

The pink line next to the brown line, I believe, belongs to the gas guage. It looks like the gas guage doesn't have anything attached at the back. Does this sound right?

I hooked it all back up, plugged in the battery and nothing. No guages, starter, nothing. Could my ignition switch be damaged?

So, what do you all think? Is my ignition switch gone? I'm going back over each connection but I'm not sure what happens when it shorts out like this. Hope I didn't damage the radio.

the wire to the lighter would come off the acc position of the sw ... might have fried some contacts, but I'd think something would be left

sounds like you lost a main + wire from the batt or starter ... the power should go: batt to starter and the ammeter, then split ammeter to ign sw and light sw - any lights at all? horn? best place to start is at the batt, is it dead? measure at the starter, anything there? check the wires from starter to ammeter and ammeter to switch before ya blame the switch

Bill

OldBlue58,

Do you have a little inexpensive multi-meter or ice pick style voltage tester with the lead and alligator clip.

Without some tool to help you, this is a 'blind' chore and very difficult to figure out.

Stuart

Thanks Bill. I really appreciate it! I thought it might be the battery so I had it on trickle charger over night. Everywhere I called said there must be a fuse box but I remembered there isn't one and can't find one. I'll follow the lines as described to make sure nothing else is lost before going to the ignition switch. They all said they have a universal ignition switch but only has 3 connectors at the back as compared to this 7 connector switch. I'm off to Can Tire to buy a volt meter or tester.

if there is any fuses, they'll be on a panel right above the drivers feet, only added if the truck came with some options that needed it - ign sw should be available from the Old Car Centre in Langely (604) 888-4412

Bill

Ok - thank you! I went back to the truck, hooked up the battery and tried the lights - worked. I hopped in and tried to start and it went dead. I turned off the heater & radio, unhooked the battery and rehooked it and did it again. I got it started and boy did that sound make me feel at ease! I'm lost without my truck. I'm not sure what was stopping it from starting but it seems to all work fine now. I think the next tool for the truck is a fire extinguisher & volt meter/tester. I'll be looking for an ignition switch backup. The Old Car Centre didn't have any ignition switches and they said they'd have to order it in and told me best to check the net.

Thanks again red58 - I owe ya!

I also think there'll be a new Stovebolter - while working on the truck a fellow came by and asked if I'd wrecked his favourite truck. I gave him the site address and he's serious about getting a bolt.

One of the latest re-wires for me was setting it up so absolutely no hot goes anywhere until it passes through a fuse.

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/Avette4me/My%2058/HEI%20conversion/th_HEIdone.jpg[/img]

you can click to enlarge if you want.

some would hide fusing a little more but i drive mine several days every week so i want access..

Thanks Avette4me. I wonder why Chevy decided not to have fuses for a few years? I've tried to stay as stock as possible - what's the pro's and con's of adding a fuse block?

It appears my guage cluster lower right side has bubbled up. I guess this is from the current going through the dash?

The Pro is you don't have to run for the fire extingusher any more. The con would be it isn't stock, but then again neither is a burnt truck.

Avette4me did you use fusible links?

I've decided to use inline fuses for a few of the wires so that it looks/is stock with a little precaution.