hot ignition switch(i am new)

[RBergman]

hot ignition switch/wires still need help

hi

what i have is a 93 w250 built 7/92 i have had it since it was

new! from day one the cover under the key switch got hot

very hot... made the plastic cowl crack that was 10 years ago

so 2 weeks ago i take off the plastic cowl find the red and

black wire with out insulation for about 1/2 inch from the

connector and the connector slightly black. i drive it as i usually

do heater blower on high windows down or a/c on high windows

down(in the summer) i touch the switch body and its hot i

burnt the top of my finger! any ideas on how to fix this?

i did i search but so far did not come up with anything

thanks

bob



1)insulation was not burnt off

2)the switch seem to be in good shape



so the black and red wires are both hot... . very hot

i was wondering if anyone knows or has performed

the nhtsb recall for the 94-96 trucks on a 1993?

i don't yet have a wiring schematic so i don't know how

smiler the wiring is between years? l know this will

lead to a electrical fire (if i don't find a fix) and i just am not in to

that... . once is enough. i talked to dodge and was told they

had no complaints on pre-94 trucks. (i don't buy that,but ok)

i do wonder how many others have this problem and don't know it. just drive or run your truck for 5-15 minutes with the heater blower on high and feel the cowling directly under the key

switch with the back of your hand and see if it is getting

hot!

the link for the 94-96 re call is

http://dodgeram.info/tsb/recalls/875.htm

any help even a shot in the dark would be of interest

to me!



when driving home from work last night,after 15 min of driving

i checked the temp of the bottom of my ign switch

at 254 deg f

and the black and red wires around 132 deg f



bob

 

[formula]

Bob,

Welcome onboard!



As for your switch problem: It sounds to me like the source of the hot switch may have started in the connector. Are the wires just plain bare or has the insulation been burned off? Do the wires show signs of touching each other? It's possible that when the connector was assembled that not all of the strands of the wires were crimped onto the connector. This would make the wire size effectively smaller and create greater resistance as current flow increases, making them get really hot. How is the condidtion of the switch?





Sean

 

[RBergman]

still could use some help

 

[Philip]

The manual shows a black wire.

A black with a orange tracer

A black with a white tracer.



Which one of the blacks is it.





Red goes to charging system

black goes to charging system

Black/orange tracer goes to heater/AC

Black/white tracer goes as a power feed to fuses 7/8/9/10



Do you have a digital volt meter?

Do you have a DC amp gauge that can handle up to 30 amps?

These are probably the min items you are going to need to trouble shoot a heavy amp draw.







The one question I have is. If you have the window open all the time. Why waste engery/fuel running the heater/AC at all?

 

[RBergman]

[

The one question I have is. If you have the window open all the time. Why waste engery/fuel running the heater/AC at all?





in the winter i like it to feel like summer (on a non-rain day)

in the summer it to feel kind of like winter and i dont see any

drop in m. p. g



bob



wire color and amp draws

wire 1)red wire 1. 15 amp consistant

wire 2)black wire white stripe no amp or extreamly low

wire 3)black with ornge stripe (end burnt,onnector burnt

(not melted) copper wire is now blue color)



amps with the blower on high

def mode 1. 8 amps

heat mode 1. 7 amps

vent mode 2. 25 amps

max a/ mode 2. 25 amps

a/c mode 2. 25 amps



amps with blower on med-high



def mode 1. 33 amps

heat mode 1. 33 amps

vent mode 1. 53 amps

max a/ mode 1. 6 amps

a/c mode 1. 57 amps



amps with the blower med-low

def mode . 72 amps

heat mode . 74 amps

vent mode . 80 amps

max a/ mode . 84 amps

a/c mode . 84 amps



amps with the blower on low

def mode . 41 amps

heat mode . 42 amps

vent mode . 47 amps

max a/ mode . 44 amps

a/c mode . 44 amps



wire 4)pink with black stripe end burnt slightly

wire 5)pink with 4 black stripes burnt slightly

wire 6)blue

wire 7)yellow





the red wire (#1) has 14. 2 volts

charge at the batt 14. 3 volts

and it looks like 4. 7 amp at the alt



bob

 

[Philip]

Have you unpluged the switch harness and checked for loose terminals in the socket and the switch?



The amps seem low on the heater motor. Full load amps sould be higher than that. I'll get a reading on my 93 tomorrow.



I'm thinking you have a bad switch and it has been for a long time. The 260 degree temp you gave is on the bottom side of the melt index for the plastic that was used in the switch and connector.

 

[Philip]

Sorry I didn't get back to you yesterday. I was a little under the weather.



I was right your amperage is low on the heater motor. I am pulling 7 amps on high in vent mode. I didn't even want to stand out in 25 degree weather and check the rest of the ways you did. so I would say your switch is bad. In stead of transferring the power properly. It has a bad connection inside and is building up heat from it. Replace the switch as a start. Then rerun the amp check and let us know what it does.

 

[RBergman]

Philip

looks like the switch is/was the problem i replaced it

drove it and it did not get hot! i will have to run it longer

and see.

what are your thoughts on the 94-up recall

and installing a relay as done

http://dodgeram.info/tsb/recalls/875/part_e.htm

to get the load out of the switch circuit?

 

[Philip]

I wouldn't worry about the 94 up fix.



You said this had been like that when new. Your truck had a bad switch installed at the factory. This happens. But for a service manager to blow it off when you took it in with a valid complaint. I would not blow that off. Your local dealer or whoevery you took it to should foot the bill for the switch. Any switch that gets to hot to touch has something wrong. "PERIOD end of story". Find the fault. At 250 degrees that switch could have melted and started a fire. Or it could have left you in a place you would rather have went into armed. Or you could have a melted blob of plastic on your leg. I worked in plastic molding for 14 years. If a chunk of it lands on you. Do not wipe it off. It will smear. All you have is a bigger burn then.



Sorry about the rant. I worked for 15 years in the auto/heavy mechanic field. I have a short fuse for poor quality maintanence.