Hello, first off let me say this truck has never had the wiring harness butchered and is all stock as far as the wiring goes. I took the truck to the dump today to take a load of junk in. On the way home I started smelling a burning wire smell. I got home and popped the hood and couldn't see of feel anything that seemed hot. The smell seemed like it was stronger on the battery side. But it was hard to tell. Since I'm new to working on these, where do you think I should start looking? Is there any typical problems? Thanks in advance.

 

My HVAC switch did that to me this winter. I wondered why I smelled a burning wire smell and then my HVAC fan switch stopped working. When I replaced it it was all melted. Are you sure it's coming from under the hood?

 

That mess of fuse-links located in proximity of the left hood-hinge is another possible culprit.

 

Check your fuse box under the steering column - I've had fuses melt and it make that smell.

 

Main culprits from the battery to the dash are: Fusible links by drivers' side hood hinge, fuses, headlight switch, HVAC plug.

 

yes , check the fusibles after the duck foot drivers side under hinge.

 

No I'm not sure it's coming from under the hood. I smelled it first inside the cab. I looked at all the wiring on the drivers side and nothing looks bad. Is there a way to check the fusible links besides just looking at them? Everything seems to work. I'll have to go check the blower motor switch to make sure. I felt everything and nothing was hot. I'll check the fuse box and the hvac switch. I did turn the blower off on the way to the dump.

 

Well the blower switch works fine and the smell seems stronger under the hood. I looked at the fuse box and it looked fine. And there wasn't any smell under the dash.

 

Ok one more update. All the fusible links look good. I gave them a slight tug and all felt good. No signs of getting hot either. I guess I'll have tio wait and see what dies first.

 

On the fire-wall, near the master-cylinder, is a big square "bulk-head" connector with a bolt through it's center.

The mating half of this is inside the cab, under the dash.

I am almost certain that there is a write-up in the "sticky" explaining how to clean up and re-work the bulk-head connector.

The terminals and wires are much too small for the job they do; and, old age and oxidation cause high resistance in the terminals, thus melting the surrounding plastic.