BEWARE potential fire hazard !!!!
 

Beware everybody of a potential fire hazard I've found.
I've been painting my front fenders, truck is inside my shop for past 2 days.
Nothing has been "disturbed" mechanically for past month.

All of a sudden I have smoke coming out from under the hood. Opened up and saw a small fire coming from left side in front of engine mount.
Put it out with extinguisher (check yours, 1 of mine was dead !!!) and found out the large + positive cable from left battery to starter is anchored to oil pan by a metal strap, right in front of engine mount and above frame crossmember.
I assume with time (since 2001), vibrations (after 253,000 miles) rubbed cable on metal housing and shortened it, causing a fire.

Now my luck is it happened all of a sudden while I was there, it could have happened at night while asleep and burned the whole place down :o

I fixed the cable and installed a different strap, with plastic insert, to avoid future fires.

Please check your cables and be sure there is no rubbing or tearing.

thanks for the info...i got some free time today and may just look at that. a metal strap on a electrical cable that has the potential to move and rub isnt the best engineering idea.

again thanks

NCA

Great information - I'll be checking mine out today as well. Do you have a photo of this strap to give just a bit more detial on what to look for? Although it should not be too hard to find.

I tossed mine since I did cut it to remove it quickly.

It is VERY obvious when you look at it, it's the only one there, approx 1" wide wrapped around + cable..

As I said my truck as many miles, thus many vibrations, a quick 5 minute inspection will save a lot of troubles.

I said a big THANK YOU to the guy up there, the chances it happened on the road or while away are huge compared to when I am around truck.

We use Adel-type clamps to mount wires, hoses, tubing, etc. - reduces NVH very well, protecting against Murphy's Law.

Just look for aluminum or SS clamps with rubber inserts!

This is some good info... may need a sticky...

Thanks valv for the info. Glad you caught it. I'll check mine tomorrow. Amazing stuff - it isn't rocket science. I can't believe they still use metal clamps on the hot cables. I had this problem on my '67 GTO - no fire, but when I shut the door at my friends house, the motor started to turn over while we were talking and I was holding the keys in my hand. But the worst was my year old WheelHorse tractor. The hot cable from the battery ran between a metal frame and contacted the plastic gas tank. The frame shorted the cable and the cable had rubbed a pinhole leak in the gas tank. My brother-in-law was mowing my lawn when the tractor exploded. Luckily he jumped clear and was uninjured - fire department put the tractor out.

another thanks
 

im glad to see you caugth it in time too. i have been smelling random plastic burning every once in a while. i offroad my truck alot. im checing it currently. wonder if that the culprit!

Thanks.....better check mine..