Temp gauge failure/burning plastic smell from under front hood? (Page 1/3)
chaotichamster9 JUN 21, 05:21 PM
When I went to turn on my car after work today I noticed the temp gauge needle was pinned and no longer moving at all (see pic). I’m not particularly electrically inclined so do you think it’s simply a temp sending unit that need replacing? Also I noticed a smell of burning plastic coming from under the front hood when stopped at lights. When I got home I opened the front and that’s definitely where the smell is coming from. I noticed liquid on top of the engine coolant reservoir as well (see pic). Would really appreciate any help as I just bought the car and I’m pretty confused. Gauge . Coolant reservoir
Gall757 JUN 21, 05:45 PM
turn off the heater and read this thread!

Potential Fire Risk - Check out your blower motor resistor ASAP

[This message has been edited by Gall757 (edited 06-21-2019).]

chaotichamster9 JUN 21, 06:34 PM
Thank you for the heads up! I was looking around and it looks really clean, no obvious leaves or anything but I can try to get in there deeper to look, I need to find a tutorial video. Any idea on why the gauge isn’t working? Is there maybe a connection between that and the burning smell?
chaotichamster9 JUN 21, 07:13 PM
Let the car cool down, started it up for a test drive and now the gauge is working again/no burning smell. I’m so confused.
Gall757 JUN 21, 08:39 PM
If the smell is the heater resistors, you won't smell anything until you run the heater at a low setting. I think the temp gauge is a separate problem....maybe the connector is failing.
Patrick JUN 21, 09:09 PM

This may or not have any bearing (as you'll see, that's a pun) on your situation.

The HVAC blower in my Formula had been squeaking for the past couple of months. It was a nuisance, but nothing the volume control on my radio couldn't solve. However, last week while I was driving home on the freeway, something smelled hot... like it was burning. I didn't know where it was coming from. None of the gauges showed anything unusual.

When I got home, I noticed my HVAC blower was no longer circulating air. I turned off the car, opened the hood, and touched the blower motor. It was HOT.

The next day I pulled the blower. It was next to impossible to spin the squirrel cage. I took the blower motor apart. As I suspected, the Oillite bearings were completely dry. GM had cut corners and limited the oil supply to only last 31 years. I re-soaked the felt pads which hold the oil for the bearings (I used 3-In-One Oil), and it now works fine again.
chaotichamster9 JUN 21, 09:18 PM
Anyone think this may be a ground issue somewhere?
Patrick JUN 21, 10:05 PM

With a cold engine, and preferably with the back of the car higher than the front, remove the thermostat cap (not the radiator cap) and see where your coolant level is at. Should be full. If not, top it up, run the engine, and see what happens.
chaotichamster9 JUN 21, 10:12 PM
Have started and test driven several times and it appears normal again. FYI previous owner told me the A/C doesn’t blow cold so I have NOT used the A/C or heater at all since I’ve owned it, only opened the vent, not sure if that negates the HVAC or fire starting issues listed above as possible culprits. I’m going to try and see where my coolant level is at tomorrow, that’s a simple suggestion that hopefully is all that is wrong: I haven’t checked the level yet (I know, foolish of me).

[This message has been edited by chaotichamster9 (edited 06-21-2019).]

theogre JUN 22, 01:22 AM
"Boil over" is often a bad cap but can be engine and/or coolant system w/ problems. See my Cave, Radiator Caps and rest of section.
"Pegged" Gauge can be several things. highlights Bad ground(s), sender and wire to it, even the gauge.


quote
Originally posted by Patrick:
I re-soaked the felt pads which hold the oil for the bearings (I used 3-In-One Oil), and it now works fine again.

Is a temporary "fix" at best and often will fail again.
3-In-One and many others are the wrong oil for this use and can bind up far worse.
Is very hard to clean out old oil and crap and "new" oil can react badly with them over hours to weeks.

Ac/heat blowers for cars aren't only ones w/ same problem. Many 120/240 AC fans of all kinds have same issues and using wrong lube to "fix" them don't last long either.

------------------
Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave