Bizarre rubber smell

[Bolt]

Every time I drive my car and park it in my garage it smells like tire rubber. I got use to this and figured it was the tires. I also have been having a battery problem over the last year. This past weekend I removed my auxiliary battery connection. This connection goes directly from the alternator to the battery. The battery connector end is discolored. This is not good. More investigation was done. I noticed if I run my radio I have a main draw of power and the 140 amp alternator is not enough to keep up with the demand of the draw. Once I figured this out I took my car for a long drive and did not use the radio. Parked it in my garage and no rubber smell. Now I’m scared. Is my wiring getting that hot to where it’s melting? Fire???? Woowoooo…. What should I do? Pull fuses till I get this fixed? Replace the stock radio system with a new system? Have anyone ever heard of this or do you have any suggestions?

You must be registered for see images attach

Bolt

 

[dansauto]

does it draw when the key is off.? Use a 10Amp meter and start checking circuits at the fuse box. Sounds like you have a short somewhere. I had a simular problem with a 69 corvette, turned out to be a little light under the car where the spare tire was kept so I never noticed.

 

[revived_gearhead]

This is too strange. Just last weekend, I was driving home from a meet in SC when I suddenly smelled an electrical burning smell. Since I was in heavy traffic and only 5 miles from home I continued on to the house. When I pulled into the driveway, the smell was gone, but the battery was low enough that the car would not restart. Low and behold, the terminal at the alternator was fried in half. I too was running my radio and AC. Ended up having to spice a new 8 gauge wire and terminal. Had a local shop replaced the diode pack in the alternator since it was also cooked. Only $60.00 tp repait it. I now carry a fire extingisher in the car because this was way to close to a fire. I havn't checked it with an amp meter yet, but now you have my attention. The stock unit ***** anyways.

 

[-FROG-]

I always carry a fire extenquisher, even in my daily driver. You never know.....

Also, Bolt, feel on some of the wires. They will be hot of course, but if to the point of melting, they will be all mushy like.... The rubber will be jelly like. Good luck with the debugging.

 

[Bolt]

Here is what I did quickly last night.

• Put a battery charger on my battery and made sure the battery was at full charge and the amp meter was at zero.

• Next I turned the key on with the radio on for 10 seconds. ( I did not start the car) The amp meter went to 4 amps immediately.
• I turned the key off and it took 40 seconds for the amp meter to drop down to zero.

• Next test was to pull the fuse to the radio and repeat the above processes. Turn the key on for 10 seconds. Yes the amp meter went to 4 but not quite as quick. Then after 10 seconds I turned the key off.
• This time it took only 10 seconds for the map meter to drop to zero.

This proves there is some type of major electrical draw with the radio.

I tried this same processes above with the radio amp fuse pulled. I got the same results. (It’s in the radio or some kind of wire going to the radio)


I’ll keep you updated on this.

Bolt

 

[Bolt]

So far I tore the whole car appart and no signs of heated or burnt wires. I'm just finding allot of stuff with high amperage draw. I'll keep looking and report what I find.

Bolt

 

[Bolt]

I believe it found it!

The muffler was getting so hot it was meling this wire leading to the battery temperature sensor.

http://forums.viperclub.org/showthread.php?t=602016