"electrical" smell and blinking headlights at idle

Does it have spark? And other questions...

Moderators: Greenleaf, BC847, Richie O

"electrical" smell and blinking headlights at idle

Postby Jelmer » Thu Sep 20, 2018 11:17 pm

These trucks and electrics....... :(

Our 93 has a bad "electrical" smell when the lights are on and when idling, the low beams are blinking sometimes. Light switch?
Greetings from the Netherlands where there are only 2 or 3 1stgens!
93 D250 Cummins, G360, 4" stainless exhaust, BHAF, DennyT stage 2 pin, 3200rpm governor spring, 12cm housing, rest stock.
03 VW Bora 1.6
83 Datsun Laurel 4.5 32v V8
84 Nissan Patrol 2.8i
Jelmer
fuel screw!!!!
 
Posts: 59
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 7:40 pm
Location: Netherlands

Re: "electrical" smell and blinking headlights at idle

Postby ellis93 » Fri Sep 21, 2018 3:17 am

The light switch connector (plug) probably has loose female spade terminals and is heating/burning the connections plastic surroundings. The same light switch and plug (connector) is the same till 1997 I believe,so finding one and purchasing should be easily done.
93 D250 ,5 speed,4.11s,k&n autometer tach pyro trans boost guages,GDS 60mm h1c 14cm,honed 5x10,hplp/reg,1/8 timing,M+H M2 fuel pin, tims cooler tubz
User avatar
ellis93
14mm rotor
 
Posts: 7761
Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2010 3:16 pm
Location: lucedale,mississippi

Re: "electrical" smell and blinking headlights at idle

Postby Donkey Kong » Fri Sep 21, 2018 6:08 am

Does the smell happen when idling AND lights are on, or either idling or lights on? What happens then truck is off and lights are on?
Darth Cummins 93 CC W250 NV4500 HX35 350hp 37s 1.5T leafs...its stiff
User avatar
Donkey Kong
fuel screw!!!!
 
Posts: 51
Joined: Wed May 23, 2018 11:18 am
Location: SF Bay Area
Top

Re: "electrical" smell and blinking headlights at idle

Postby cougar » Sun Sep 23, 2018 9:45 am

Jelmer wrote:These trucks and electrics....... :(

Our 93 has a bad "electrical" smell when the lights are on and when idling, the low beams are blinking sometimes. Light switch?

What do you expect for something that is 25 years old. Electrical parts wear out the same way other mechanical parts do.
Howz your electrical skills and what test equipment do you have? Do you have a factory service manual with the wiring diagrams? Sometimes you get lucky and the problem is obvious, most of the time it's like looking for a needle in a hay stack without a metal detector.
RIP 91.5 W250 5 speed. The great experiment.
92 W250 HD 47RH with Compushift. Upgraded H1C to 62/60/16, Scheid Lightning VE, 60# valve springs, DAP 7X.010 injectors, 4" DE exhaust, home made cooler tubes.
01 2500 "the work truck".
cougar
14mm rotor
 
Posts: 960
Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 3:31 pm
Location: The Valley of no concern, AK
Top

Re: "electrical" smell and blinking headlights at idle

Postby PToombs » Sun Sep 23, 2018 4:30 pm

cougar wrote:most of the time it's like looking for a needle in a hay stack without a metal detector.


Or with one! ;)
pete

Just enough power to break everything behind the crankshaft.
User avatar
PToombs
14mm rotor
 
Posts: 11367
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2007 6:13 pm
Location: Syracuse NY. Snow central!
Top

Re: "electrical" smell and blinking headlights at idle

Postby Jelmer » Mon Sep 24, 2018 12:50 am

Thanks for the answers.

It only smells when the light are on, so driving or idling doesn't make a difference.

Sorry, but I'm used to electrics in my Datsuns. They have almost never failed on me and they are 10 years older... ;)
It is a fact that these trucks don't have great electrics but the great Cummins makes up for it! :D
Greetings from the Netherlands where there are only 2 or 3 1stgens!
93 D250 Cummins, G360, 4" stainless exhaust, BHAF, DennyT stage 2 pin, 3200rpm governor spring, 12cm housing, rest stock.
03 VW Bora 1.6
83 Datsun Laurel 4.5 32v V8
84 Nissan Patrol 2.8i
Jelmer
fuel screw!!!!
 
Posts: 59
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 7:40 pm
Location: Netherlands
Top

Re: "electrical" smell and blinking headlights at idle

Postby Donkey Kong » Mon Sep 24, 2018 3:42 pm

How are the rheostat and its connections in the dash?
Darth Cummins 93 CC W250 NV4500 HX35 350hp 37s 1.5T leafs...its stiff
User avatar
Donkey Kong
fuel screw!!!!
 
Posts: 51
Joined: Wed May 23, 2018 11:18 am
Location: SF Bay Area
Top

Re: "electrical" smell and blinking headlights at idle

Postby cougar » Fri Sep 28, 2018 9:23 am

Start with replacing the headlight switch and inspecting the connector. Repair as necessary. Next is to put you headlights on relays. This takes all the load off the switch, connector, and wiring.
RIP 91.5 W250 5 speed. The great experiment.
92 W250 HD 47RH with Compushift. Upgraded H1C to 62/60/16, Scheid Lightning VE, 60# valve springs, DAP 7X.010 injectors, 4" DE exhaust, home made cooler tubes.
01 2500 "the work truck".
cougar
14mm rotor
 
Posts: 960
Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 3:31 pm
Location: The Valley of no concern, AK
Top

Re: "electrical" smell and blinking headlights at idle

Postby Remps » Sat Sep 29, 2018 8:06 pm

Most likely your switch has a bunch of green crud built up in it from the electrical load. I had to bang on my switch and work it in/out a bunch of times to get switch to work reliably. (So far) I pulled one out of one of the parts trucks, but it was full of green crud as well, so I didn't bother changing it. Maybe one could spray something in the switch to dissolve the crud. I don't think wd-40 would hurt anything, I'm gonna try it if the switch buggers up on me again.
'90 D250 R/C,727,IC,6x.009's,1/8" bump,fuel psi,straight pipe w/5" stack.
'90 W250 R/C,47rh,K@N,HX35,1/8" bump,2nd gen IC,boost,egt,trans temp.3.07's.
'96 2500 S/C L/B,2wd,NV5600,3.54 L/S,cai,egt,pacbrake,mbrp exhaust,10 plate.
Bring back the Bank of Canada, PRE- 1974.
User avatar
Remps
14mm rotor
 
Posts: 1128
Joined: Sun May 03, 2009 12:57 am
Location: Saskatchewan
Top

Re: "electrical" smell and blinking headlights at idle

Postby Jelmer » Mon Oct 29, 2018 7:14 am

It is the headlight switch plug. The big red wire is melted into the plug. I think because someone had the wiring connected with those crimp connectors and the big red wire was loose. The thin black and yellow wire was dodgy also.
Greetings from the Netherlands where there are only 2 or 3 1stgens!
93 D250 Cummins, G360, 4" stainless exhaust, BHAF, DennyT stage 2 pin, 3200rpm governor spring, 12cm housing, rest stock.
03 VW Bora 1.6
83 Datsun Laurel 4.5 32v V8
84 Nissan Patrol 2.8i
Jelmer
fuel screw!!!!
 
Posts: 59
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 7:40 pm
Location: Netherlands
Top

Re: "electrical" smell and blinking headlights at idle

Postby Jelmer » Thu Nov 01, 2018 3:10 am

I ordered a new headlight switch and pig tail but I noticed that there is an extra thingy on the switch as you can see in the pic. What is supose to hook there?

Image

I also going to add relays so that it doesn't happen again.
Greetings from the Netherlands where there are only 2 or 3 1stgens!
93 D250 Cummins, G360, 4" stainless exhaust, BHAF, DennyT stage 2 pin, 3200rpm governor spring, 12cm housing, rest stock.
03 VW Bora 1.6
83 Datsun Laurel 4.5 32v V8
84 Nissan Patrol 2.8i
Jelmer
fuel screw!!!!
 
Posts: 59
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 7:40 pm
Location: Netherlands
Top

Re: "electrical" smell and blinking headlights at idle

Postby Donkey Kong » Thu Nov 01, 2018 5:58 am

I believe that is the chassis ground
Darth Cummins 93 CC W250 NV4500 HX35 350hp 37s 1.5T leafs...its stiff
User avatar
Donkey Kong
fuel screw!!!!
 
Posts: 51
Joined: Wed May 23, 2018 11:18 am
Location: SF Bay Area
Top

Re: "electrical" smell and blinking headlights at idle

Postby PToombs » Thu Nov 01, 2018 4:46 pm

On my truck each headlight has it's own relay and I put the tail and marker lights on a relay. Then promptly put in LEDs for the tail lights. :lol: The tail light relay also feeds the trailer tail and marker lights too.
pete

Just enough power to break everything behind the crankshaft.
User avatar
PToombs
14mm rotor
 
Posts: 11367
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2007 6:13 pm
Location: Syracuse NY. Snow central!
Top


Return to Electrical

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests

cron