Hi
fired up my mk2 esky and had it running in the driveway. After about 5 mins I had smoke pouring out from under the dash. Turned it off and isolated the battery. It was coming from a coil of wire (factory) about the size and shape of a roll of coins wrapped in electrical tape. It is attached to the dash lights dimmer switch.

Any ideas what the coil is/does/what would have caused it to heat up?

Hope someone can help

cheers

I have had this happen. Hot coil and all.
I don't remember if it was a wire earthing from the starter or a wire rubbing on the firewall.
For some reason mine started up and ran again after the smoke screen.
Even after my radio installation.

The cabin fills with smoke fast hey!

I'm pretty sure the coil of wire acts as a resistor to create a voltage drop across the dash lights.

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Originally posted by muzza

I'm pretty sure the coil of wire acts as a resistor to create a voltage drop across the dash lights.

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Correct. This is one fire hazard in a Escort. Remove it and wire the switch on the "brighter" switching permanantly. It's an ADR requirement to have a dimmable dash, but hell you can only just read the dash on the "bright" setting anyway.

Yep - Just link the two wires and do away with the resistor...
A said it provides a "DIM" setting.... and you can hardly read the "BRIGHT" setting... My wife was arguing the other day that the dim settign was not even on, and she could not read the instruments on the Bright setting.....

Thanks for the replies.

Funny thing was that i didn't have the lights on at the time so you'd have to think theres no good reason for the thing to be heating up....guess i'll need to go hunting for a short circuit next time i get it out.

Oh yes it fills up with smoke quickly alright; thought i was going to have to push it out into the street to save the house

quote:

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Originally posted by BootOn

Thanks for the replies.

Funny thing was that i didn't have the lights on at the time so you'd have to think theres no good reason for the thing to be heating up....guess i'll need to go hunting for a short circuit next time i get it out.

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If no lights on i think you'll find its either the temp guage or fuel gauge, I've pulled a fair few apart and pretty sure they have a spring under voltage. they will die and smoke.

The old dim switch, i've pulled the dash out before to check everything over because i didn't realise i hit the switch.[B)]