I went to start my 1996 12v and i pulled it in the driveway and smelt like wires melting i opened the hood and smoke was coming from under the fuel filter two little wires that the rubber booty was off it i dont even know what the thing is under the filter it is a metal cylinder type thing that has two wires on top and two on the bottom the top ones had the smoke coming out of it there is also like a 3/4 inch hose coming out of the side of it. if you can please help.

 

It's the fuel heater, sort of common for the wires to burn up. Often this will cause it to leak and make for hard starting.
Price may be old but number is good from Cummins
cable harness 3843722-S $49.39

 

That's youre fuel heater t-stat harness burning up. Mine did it too. Very common. You can get a new one from cummins.

 

how much wiring is it alot or just that few inches to the plug

 

It's about a foot to the plug.

 

The pins on the fuel pre-heater sometimes start leaking air if you unplug the harness. You have to replace the element if this happens. Again, much cheaper at a Cummins dealer. DC only sells the complete pre-heater assembly. I drove mine for a couple of weeks with electrical tape wrapped around the pre-heater to stop it from sucking air. The element is a snap to change and you can clean the pre-heater screen while you're at it.

 

so i can just replace the wire right? it just like came unplugged at the rubber booty i pushed it back in and dident see any smoke any more but probobly doing it underneath i think. Is it easy like just unplug 2 wires and then plug the new one back in?

 

where can air be leaking it looks like just a wire plug in.

 

and will i be able to drive it with that broken or can i really mess something up?

 

Air leaks into the fuel system sometimes around the pins that the wires plug into. It will be hard to start the engine if you get air in the fuel system. Plugging the old wire in might be good enough to stop air leaks. I'm not saying that the pins will leak for sure, just that they can.
I believe the pre-heater is used primarily to keep fuel from gelling in very cold weather. You probably don't need it until next winter. You won't hurt anything driving without it.

 

so i can probobly drive around for a week or 2 with out it right because i turn 17 tomarrow and get my license so i would like to drive it until i get the part. Is the wire i have to get called the fuel heater t-stat wire that i have to get?

 

It's called the fuel heater cable harness
part number 3843722-S works better though