help... Car caught on fire today!!
OfflineOk well it didnt really catch on fire... but something was smoking.. and smelled pretty bad...
it happened about a week ago as well.. i had recently installed some foglights and wired them up to a relay and switch as per some instructions and they seemed to work just fine for a day or two..
then one night i pull up to meet some friends and as im parking i smell an awful stench, and soon see smoke in the cabin.. i jump out and pop the hood... smoke billows from within... upon closer inspection i can see its coming mainly from the front left hand corner near the coolant reservoir but deeper down by where the belts are..
the smell i would describe as something like electrical wire burning. its not bonfire size smoke but perhaps a cigarette size smoke slowly but steadily rising... this goes on for a minute or two... then it stops... i figure its my foglights maybe i fried some wire whatever i unplug the fuse and plan to take a look on the weekend... well the weekend is busy so i dont have time... and yesterday as im driving to my girls house it happens again.. smoke in the cabin... i pull over and take a look... same location same rotten smell... anyone have any idea? a clue? a hint? could it be coolant leak from the radiator filler neck... it seems to have a crack and the previous owner covered it with like some putty like concoxion but it seems to hold...i do however see i tiny crack and a bit of coolant very very slowly dripping out.. but note... ive had the car almost a month and this just started.... the filler neck has been like that since i got the car.. im no mechanic obviously and would like to have at least some plausible causes when i take her in to be checked out.. thanks !
sorry for the essay
not too sure, you would have to take a good look at the car when you get the time, the coolant could be leaking asyou said and could be dripping onto something, or it could be the wiring for you lights
BOTTLES ARE FOR BABIES.. REAL MEN GET BLOWN
ok so i pulled out all the wires from the fog lights and everything was okay! no burnt wires nothing... so it WASNT the fog lights!
I also fixed the leak around the filler neck of the radiator no more dripps!
BUT it still smoking...
Im thinking could it be a belt rubbing or something? but i took a look at the belts as best i could and didnt see any sign of damage to any of the belts... im sorta leaning to it being just some excess coolant that i spilt when i topped up the rad.. maybe... but wouldnt that burn off rather quickly.. the smoke seems to steadily rise it doesnt get worse or better but i shut off the car after about a minute of the smoke starting and it contiunues for another couple minutes!
ok heres an update.. im going to explain it as best i can...now im no mechanic so forgive the terms used. First off i have now confirmed that it was in fact a belt rubbing and i know this because the belt snapped!! ive got the Nissan Part Number 11920-53J00 its the belt that runs on the alternator pully, the AC pully and the crank Pully... is this belt available easily at CT or NAPA?? is it the same belt as the S13/S14 SR20?? Also the AC pully (i think) has what looks like to be signs of burnt rubber.. from where the belt was rubbing... which means the pully must be seized... however when i tried turning the AC pully by hand it moved freely, there was also a bit of play side to side..dont know whether or not thats significant...so my questions to you are... 1. Is this belt i speak of available at any part store? 2. Do i need a new AC pully, if so where can i find one (anyone have one for sale?)
ive attached some pictures to further illustrate my situation... any help is appreciated!
Pulley Belt - Alternator/Air Conditioner Nissan 11920 53J00
Bosch 6PK 1035
If you search those numbers on Google a few charts will come up with cross over part numbers. I know a Mitsubishi item can work as well.
No idea on the condition of that AC pulley though. Remove the AC! heh.
Good luck.
RNN14
i have a nearly new a/c, alternator nissan belt, used for less than 1000km's. 20$ plus shipping, pm me.
well your problem seemed easy to fix....did you find the parts you need? i know a few places that carry parts for the pulsar!
~It's Miller Time~
hey guys so im back with a little update......
after trying and trying i am still unable to find a NON A/C belt!!! ive used the partnumbers in the FAQ but no one can cross referance those to anything!!!! i NEED my car back!!!!
another question, if by some miracle i do find a NON AC belt.... do i HAVE to remove the AC? cant i just leave it there but by-pass the pully...???
So if anyone can please help me find a NON AC BELT (alt and crank only) i would greatly appreciate!!!!!! thanks!!!
just use an nx2000 or infiniti g20 non ac belt. these motors share a fair amount of stuff with other sr20's
i called Nissan and asked for a NX2000 belt they didnt even have that car in the computer!! WTF!!??
welcome to my world! car is non-exsistent apparently....heres the funny part....i own one! it sucks, no one has any of the right hand drive veichles in the system! no skyline, pulsar, 300zx, they only have the ones that come both right hand and left hand drive like the rx7! im sure ive seen a few of those around! like i said you have to go thru the skyline shop, nk auto importers, cannonball, armstrong mustangs! thats your best bet!
~It's Miller Time~
steve solange at abbotsford nissan has the japanese fast system. if you provide the correct part number almost any nissan can order them, but they are no return items. it's really up to the nissan if they 'feel' like helping you or not.
your other option is to use feast auto export, he can source it all from japan and mail to you.
you can also contact this guy and see if he can help http://www.riworx.com/
thanks guys for all the help... ive got my car back on the road... found a belt at napa!
now i just need to find an AC compressor before the heat waves!!!
on second thought.... anyone know of a HOW TO... replace the A/C pully and bearings???? the guy at napa said if i pull off the pully he can probably match it up with something and i can just replace that... instead of the entire compressor... which i believe is still good cause the A/C DID work... but the pully began to seize and fried my belts.... so if anyone has some info on that i would greatly appreciate it!! ill also hit google and the other forums!
ok so i have the belt on... BUT its squeeling a bit... and the alternator is already pushed up as far as it will go so it wont tighten anymore! the belt is 34" in length i tried the next size down 33 1/4 and i couldnt for the life of me get it to fit... any ideas!? thanks