loose wires and electrical fires

[blazeonchevy]

yay. i just had the second electrical fire in my truck. all be it a small one. i have to figure something out with the wires under the dash.. the PO hacked them up beyond recognition. now i was just trying to get all the wires tucked up out of the way when i hear a snap and smoke starts pouring out from under the dash. well luckily my dad had given me a fire extinguisher from when my truck was flooding and i couldent fix it at the time. it probably wouldent have gone on long but you never know. at least this one didnt hurt me. the last one did. it burned my hand and when i jerked back i got a nice slice down my hand from which i have a scar now. so i guess thats a good thing.
so what do yall think would be the best way to remedy this. find a similar truck and strip the wires from it? im getting tired of this because im supposed to be at work in an hour and now i have to find keys for my brothers truck. he came home from college, left his burb here, took off in the extra car that i always use when my truck is messed up, and took his keys with him. i called my dad and he said he has a set but my dad is at work and i have no vehicle. i may be a little late today. sorry for the vent guys.

 

[JEBSR]

Either find a good factory style (unmolested) wireing harness, or get one from painless wireing.

Don't screw around with trying to fix that one if it is that bad. It will just cost you more money or your truck down the road.

 

[diesel4me]

junkyard..

Go get another harness from a junker--its not too difficult to replace a harness--taking the junkyard one out gives you experience as to how it goes in,what you have to remove,etc..most trucks have SOME amount of former owner wiring harness butchery to some degree,thanks to them installing stereos and other accessories by not doing it correctly.

My 74 K20 was a complete abortion under the dash--pevious owner made a custom aluminum dash cluster,did a nice job--but he wired it with speaker wires,wire nuts meant for house wires,and gobs of tape everywhere--every wire was an inch too short,so he spliced another 3" peice on,and had upholstery tacks shoved into the plug that went in the original dash's printed curcuit to hold the wires for his new dash that ran the directional indicators and hi-beam light,etc--
--he even had a 6 prong trailer hitch plug under there for an equilizer and amp!..I had more than one wire fire in that truck,and am suprised I was able to drive it 16 years without it burning to the ground!..had many electrical woes too..I put a "Master Dissconnect" switch in the truck that would cut all power from the battery,in case wires started frying!..

Depending on what year your truck is,the harness should fit many years--I think from 73-87 is pretty much the same,even the color codes..

 

[CDA 455]

yay. i just had the second electrical fire in my truck. all be it a small one. i have to figure something out with the wires under the dash.. the PO hacked them up beyond recognition. now i was just trying to get all the wires tucked up out of the way when i hear a snap and smoke starts pouring out from under the dash. well luckily my dad had given me a fire extinguisher from when my truck was flooding and i couldent fix it at the time. it probably wouldent have gone on long but you never know. at least this one didnt hurt me. the last one did. it burned my hand and when i jerked back i got a nice slice down my hand from which i have a scar now. so i guess thats a good thing.
so what do yall think would be the best way to remedy this. find a similar truck and strip the wires from it? im getting tired of this because im supposed to be at work in an hour and now i have to find keys for my brothers truck. he came home from college, left his burb here, took off in the extra car that i always use when my truck is messed up, and took his keys with him. i called my dad and he said he has a set but my dad is at work and i have no vehicle. i may be a little late today. sorry for the vent guys.

If you got the money; Painless Wiring.
And be done with it !

 

[blazeonchevy]

If you got the money; Painless Wiring.
And be done with it !

...uhhh yeah umm i dont think i do.
but i was wondering. would 2wd and 4wd be the same wiring for the most part?

 

[JEBSR]

Just wont have the wireing for the 4WD indicator light. You can always add that though, it's only two wires.