Bit of a burn

D90mitch · Sep 23, 2014

For a few months now - I will sometimes get a bit of a burning smell in the cab. I can't see anything obvious resting on the exhaust manifold so I am a bit lost as to what it could be. Other than the smell, I haven't noticed anything else but was hoping it's nothing more serious.

Station House · Sep 23, 2014

Can sometimes be the handbrake cable acting as an electrical earth

Worth checking the cable isn't getting hot when you smell burning

D90mitch · Sep 23, 2014

Interesting, never would have thought of that. What is normally the easiest way to make sure it is isolated and not acting as an earth?

Pricilla · Sep 24, 2014

No sure about the possibility of reliably isolating the hand brake cable, but from reading on here the elastictrickery tries to create a circuit through the hand brake because of poor main earths elsewhere....ie it has no where else easier to go. Perhaps check earth straps etc....

Station House · Sep 25, 2014

D90mitch said:
Interesting, never would have thought of that. What is normally the easiest way to make sure it is isolated and not acting as an earth?

You should be able to see visually when getting underneath if there's any melted plastic/rubber or cable sheathing - that's what would cause the burning smell if the handbrake cable is acting as a substitute earth

If there is, need to take off the gearbox/chassis earth straps, clean up and refit

Bit of a burn

D90mitch

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Station House

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D90mitch

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Pricilla

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Station House

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