bad_monkey

So, my car stopped suddenly. Odd, I thought - then I saw the smoke.

I leapt out with a fire extinguisher - but there didn't seem to be a problem under the hood. Weird. Ignition off. No sign of a problem in the cabin, apart from a burning wires smell. I tried to start it - cranks but doesn't start.

After getting a tow home I take a look through the wiring and eventually find a burnt DME relay. I figure that's it - so with help from another lister I tried a spare relay. Smoke! Smoke! Smoke!

The main harness had rubbed on a bracket near the molex clip and shorted through - the red and blue wire is shorted back to the fuse box. The molex is a bit melted.




Burned all the way back to the fuse box

I'm feeling lucky that I don't have to deal with an insurance claim right now - but slightly less happy about the state of the harness and fusebox.

So - the question. The wire in question doesn't appear to have melted others in the fusebox area. Only it has melted itself a little into the bundle.

I'm considering cutting it short (no pun intended) then pulling through a new wire at the grommet - to replace it in the harness. But leave the old one in there rather than risk ruining the insulation on other wires...

Anyone played this game before? Any opinions on whether this is sane or stupid?

(Oh and any know of a supply of spare 9 pin molex connectors?)

use2windsurf

It sounds like you have identified the problem which is key to avoid a repeat. If you make sure that no other wires have been damaged I wouldnt try to remove it. I have been there and you will undoubtably cut into adjacent insulation if you are not extremely careful. So I would just pull a new wire of the appropriate AWG and call it a day.

bad_monkey

Yup, that's the way I went and I finally got the car running last night after a weird no fuel issue. Turns out the short also killed the aftermarket alarm which cut the fuel pump power. The remote locking still works so that stays in for now.

I went with an 8 pin generic molex plug plus a 4 pin as I plan to add some additional instrumentation in future.

Now to replace carpet, wrap wiring and all that crud!

Van

I think that's one of 2 main DME power lines. My guess is it likely cracked the insulation somewhere and shorted out to the chassis - causing the wire to "become a fuse".