that burning smell - Page 2

Aksor · 10-12-2004, 08:41 AM

Well if you get to the point of melting the varnish of the voice coil its all bad!!! Your are running your amp to the point of clipping that causes your speaker to overheat and finaly burn up releasing a lot of stinky smoke. Depending on the amp if it does not have fault tolerant circuitry on the output stage it will also blow the output transistors!!

Make sure you have a good ground and decent power cable feeding the amp straight from the Battery trough a fuse as close as possible to the battery.

I hope you are not trying to run your amp from the same harness that powers your HU.

Big no no. wires have a limited current carying capability depending on the cross section of the wire and once crossed they will heat up and melt the insulation causing shorts inside the wire harness and eventually a nice car fire!!

pimpJ · 10-16-2004, 12:30 AM

I'm running 8 gauge on my amp, (which is the manufacturers suggested whatever, so I'm sure it's more than enough)
but I'm having more problems

the smell isn't going away and in fact it's getting worse.
I realized tonight that it wasn't from the trunk (subs) but the engine. What are the possible problems causing this.

Aleternator
I checked the AC current across the terminals with the AC, radio, headlights, whatever on and it was in the "ok" range. That doesn't mean the alternator isn't heavily stressed though..

wires ?
is this a concern ? I would assume that they (Honda) would give me sufficient wiring..

what else is there ? and how can I check these 2 further ?

GruvThang · 10-16-2004, 12:47 AM

I know this is a stretch, but can you tell where the smell is coming from?
Alternator
engine compartment fuse box
harnesses
battery
ignition coil
wiring
any of those could be it, use your super sniffer to try to isolate it. If it is happening at higher RPMs I would say it is somewhere in the Charging system or,(but not as likely because of the battery light) the ignition system.

Any tips in the manual about what actually causes the battery light to come on? It could be intermittantly meeting the requirements, or a short.

pimpJ · 10-16-2004, 12:49 AM

nothing in the manual, I dont remember if I mentioned this, but I noticed when I have the radio cranked, and I accelerate quickly (high RPMs) the battery light will quickly flash then go off

I also forgot to mention that today I noticed my idle RPM was higher. 1300 as opposed to the usual 750-800, after I drove it a mile or 2 it went back down. That could be totally unrelated, but I figured I'de mention it.

pimpJ · 10-16-2004, 12:51 AM

I hate to get my own thread off topic, but..

Quote: Originally Posted by GruvThang

#30...the 49ers are jockeying for the No. 1 pick in the draft.

I love the 9ers.. its a rebuilding year.. or 2 or 3..

ok.. back to my car.. what's goin on ?

GruvThang · 10-16-2004, 12:58 AM

Nothing about causes for the battery light coming on?

Off-Topic:
I love the Niners too, it was just funny

pimpJ · 10-16-2004, 01:00 AM

nada. their advice was to "get the electrical system in your car checked by a certified blah blah blah.."

GruvThang · 10-16-2004, 01:01 AM

Electrical / Lighting Systems Malfunction When driving When warm

Q: My car battery light continues to come on and off. If the engine is run in a lower gear it will flicker on and off before staying on. If driving at night the headlights dim and the interior lights dim. If I use the turn signal it shorts my curise control and sterio. The car would not start right after being driven but would after sitting for several hours. Now, however, the car is not starting and behaves as though the battery is drained. After a jumpstart the car drives fine unless the lights are on, in which case the car begins to "hickup" and die.

A: Adam , you need to have the battery checked . It may have been damaged , or is to old to properly hold a charge . This is part one of your problem . Part 2 is the alternator . The diodes inside may be bad or the regulator is bad . Either way , replace the alternator . Go to a specialty shop that specializes in batteries and alternators . This is your best bet to get the best service for your money .
In addition to the above , check all of the ground connections in the engine compartment and any others that you can find . These need to be clean and tight . Always keep the battery connectors clean .

GruvThang · 10-16-2004, 01:03 AM

did you check grounds?

pimpJ · 10-16-2004, 01:04 AM

connectors are alright

new alternator

that's what I was trying to avoid..
sigh, I'll go get it checked I suppose. My main problem is this system was actually a (very nice) birthday gift from my dad, and he would be the one picking up the tab on the alternator/ whatever else.. :\ we'll see

GruvThang · 10-16-2004, 01:10 AM

hmm off topic? no it has to do with your car

Question: 1991 Honda Accord LX 2.2L mileage: 116,000. I have a same problem as listed in another posting, on cold start the car goes into fast idle mode and after a minute the idle starts to jump between 1,500 rpm and 1,800 rpm. I've been trying to fix this for a year. I've replaced the O2 sensor and PVC valve as you told the other poster to do. I've also replaced the Air Temp sensor (TA), Water Temp sensor (TW). I've stumped the dealership, as they find nothing wrong. I even replaced the fast idle valve and EACV! The engine has been tuned and I have no clue what else to do? After the engine is warm, everything is great and runs really well and car is like new after constantly doing the service on time. Scott

Answer: You have replaced most everything we can think of that could be causing your fast idle problem. At this point, the data stream from the engine to the computer should be read to determine the values of the various sensors on the car. In addition, check to see if the ground wires are properly attached and making good connections.

GruvThang · 10-16-2004, 01:18 AM

back to the electrical

I thought I read that you checked the voltages (Alternator and Battery)?

Did you check high RPM also?

Question: 1987 Honda Accord TX. I am having trouble with our work car and I'm not sure what the trouble is... First off, I drive it about 40 miles one-way to work. I noticed the dashboard lights got real dim and the headlights were hardly lit. After I got to work, I turned the lights and everything else off and let it run by itself for ten minutes. I then turned the car off and tried to start it. Well, no start. I had to have it jumped. This was just the beginning. I put a new battery in it and still had the problem. Then I replaced the alternator and had new battery cables installed as well. It still leaves me sitting.... What else could it possibly be?

Answer: With the engine running, check for 14 to 14½ volts at the battery. Check the fuseable links and check the auto shutdown relay.

P.S. Higher RPMs after cold starting are normal as long as the engine returns to normal idle when the engine is "warmed up"

P.S.S. WOOOO WOOOOO

pimpJ · 10-16-2004, 01:18 AM

hm, if it continues I'll look further into it. I really wasn't worried so much about that problem in itself, I just thought maybe it was tied to my car melting..

GruvThang · 10-16-2004, 01:20 AM

edited my previous post

Squid · 10-16-2004, 01:40 AM

How old is your battery?? It's not swollen (bulging) is it?

You wired your amp wire directly to the battery and not some alternate location accidentally
drawing too much current thru a relay or some other under-hood component?

I know you said the smell is in your engine compartment, but a thought I had when
reading this was that your ground may be poor and arc'ing and burning carpet or paint?

Just some ideas.... good luck...