Sparks

[FR33K]

I was driving home on the m4 last night and my mate was driving behind me. I could smell something burning real bad.. like a wire burning smell and i couldnt figure out where it was coming from. I thought maybe it was in the air so i called my mate behind me and asked him if he could smell it as well and he said no. anyway he then goes "hey it looks like someone just threw a ciggie out of your car.." (but i dont smoke)
then he told me to pull over coz my car was sparking up from the left hand side (my battery is on the right hand side)

now i have absolutely no idea what it is and no fuses blew or anything..
i cant think of any way of finding this spark without searching the car for a burnt out wire..

any ideas ??

[JasonGilholme]

Sparks can also be cause from metal and other materials grinding together. Especially at high speeds. Maybe you got a rock caught up on your discs or something.

Check all your major wiring to see if any of the plastic casing has melted. I doubt this would cause sparks that would actually come off the car!!!... but you never know.

[FR33K]

something was definately burning out. i nearly died from the fumes in the car.. after i pulled over and drove off again i turned off all the stereo and heater and demister etc and the smell went away.. i guess thats a start..

thought a fuse would have blown though

[crispy]

Sounds nasty. I agree with jason and check all the wiring to see if any of the plastic has melted. You havent by any chance rewired something or even wired sumthing new up recently, this could be the problem cos when you use a low amp wire for a high amp application then the wires burn out. HTH

[bennjamin]

id say the cat has gone/collapsed....or a piece of your car is dragging on the ground !

[JasonGilholme]

I reckon you'd be able to hear it if it was scrapping on the ground. Can you hear anything at all???

[Q_ball]

something was definately burning out. i nearly died from the fumes in the car.. after i pulled over and drove off again i turned off all the stereo and heater and demister etc and the smell went away.. i guess thats a start..

thought a fuse would have blown though

did you use the correct type of wiring for ur system??
maybe an overload of current through one of the wires...hence the burning smell.
check all your cabling!

[CUL8R]

do u have a stock cat or high flow cat?
is ur car tuned at all?
u could be running lean and ur cat is melting then firing out the exhaust?

[FR33K]

The smell is definately a burning wire smell... get a lighter and burn a wire and ull know the smell...

I do have a hi-flow cat and the timing is advanced.. but no tuning or anything

If i was using the wrong stereo cabling how would the sparks be coming out of the car ?? I do have a lose amp power wire that was touching my wheel brace that was touching the body of the car.. but thats in the boot

when i popped the bonnet the smell was so strong it was definately comming from there.. and also saw a bit of smoke..

ill just have to wait for the weekend and check the car over

[Paul1985]

id check it out if i were you.
i know someone whos car caught on fire inside from him installing a stereo incorrectly (so he says). The fire brigade had to cover the interior in dry chemical. Completely ruined the whole interior, was in every little crack possible. You dont want your cabin to catch on fire!

[Q_ball]

The smell is definately a burning wire smell... get a lighter and burn a wire and ull know the smell...

I do have a hi-flow cat and the timing is advanced.. but no tuning or anything

If i was using the wrong stereo cabling how would the sparks be coming out of the car ?? I do have a lose amp power wire that was touching my wheel brace that was touching the body of the car.. but thats in the boot

when i popped the bonnet the smell was so strong it was definately comming from there.. and also saw a bit of smoke..

ill just have to wait for the weekend and check the car over

why it was sparkin outside the car i dont have a clue.
but when u said that u turned off ur stereo and the smell went away, its pretty obvious aint it?
jst double check la

[bennjamin]

As said above , Check it before your car ends up in ashes y0

Check the battery ground-fuse box , in teh fuse box also...and any other places there is the chacne a wire is worn or contacting another..DO IT !