When it rains it pours. While doing compression test, i noticed if starter cranks for more than 3 seconds, white smoke comes up from top of dashboard! I dont see it from fuses or relays below, nor ignition switch, may have to remove cluster to locate. I recently put in a gear reduction starter, and new starter relay. Could the new starter be too much for oem wiring? I’ve never read that to be the case. ???
No smoke if ignition is simply on. Nor when car is off. Only when trying to start.
I also just put in alternate 45 sec timer, which needs starter live wire.
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
2
Yes. With ignition on, touching positive coil and intake manifold reads 12.3V
I also just put in alternate 45 sec timer that uses starter 12V feed as a trigger. Ill try disconnecting to see if fixes. But smoke is coming from driver side, not passenger.
I think the idea is that if it is not properly grounded, it will read well, but the large current finds a new way through the gear selector cable and the smoke might work its way up. Or rather, it can be the ground, read well but is too thin to handle the amperage.
I don’t know how to test that besides cleaning the ground straps which you have likely done more than once.
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
5
Means pretty close to nothing. Is there a proper ground strap between engine and chassis, or isn’t there?
You must have pulled something or a wire from a gage touching something.
The new starter draws 80 percent less draw.
Thats not it.
Good luck thought getting that LUCAS smoke back in the jar is hard!
Bahhhaa
Yes, two ground straps that i know of, and in good condition.
Now i cant get smoke back, did i do a bonehead thing? While doing compression test, not only did i remove fuel pump relay and main coil wire to distributor, but i disconnected the positive leads to coil.
Kilbert, If its a gear reduction its alot less I was being sarcastic, we are now finding out he was in two feet of water holding the positive lead with the key on and no rubber shoes…
Having fun with you…
gtjoey1314
I cranked and cranked and could not recreate smoke, now that i put positive leads back to coil, so false alarm, usual Gregma error. I’ll keep an eye on it just in case. Hope i didnt melt anything.
As a precaution, i had a new black 2AG battery cable lying around, so i made a redundant ground, attaching to grounding screw on intake manifold and drilled hole in chassis. I checked with cable only hooked up to chassis, and got 0 ohms from different parts of chassis. So it works! Cant hurt.
Yep, all work, including voltmeter. Im starting to think smoke cane from engine compartment/firewall? Smoke actually came up defrost vent right next to windshield.
