I started the engine normally today. The engine turned over normally and ran. After about 45 seconds of running at 500 rpms, I increased the throttle to 1000 rpms. Everything sounded normal. I then noticed that the Tachometer reading simply dropped to nothing and the needle passed zero and went to the 6oclock position on the tach. I kept the engine running and went below to see if the alternator had seized or otherwise stopped turning and thus did not send a tachometer reading. I observed that the engine appeared to be running satisfactory and the alternator was spinning and the belt was not slipping at all.
I then looked back into the cockpit from inside the cabin and noticed large amounts of smoke billowing from the vicinity of the ignition/instrument panel aft in the cockpit on the port side. I immediately dashed to the panel pulled the engine stop lever and turned the electrical key to the off position. I then secured a fire extinguisher from the cabin and switched the main battery/power switch to the off position. The smoke continued to emanate from the vicinity of the ignition/instrument panel. It smelled like an electrical fire. The total time from lighting the glow plugs to turning the engine off was approximately 4 or 5 minutes.
I quickly unscrewed the instrument panel and the back of it was burning. The wires were burning and melting and smoking. I was able to extinguish the burning without discharging the extinguisher. Most of the wires on the back of the instrument panel were burned and charred and the fiberglass on the hull above the panel was hot and sticky. I went to the engine area once I was certain there was no fire at the instrument panel. I noticed the other end of the wiring harness at the engine was also hot and seemingly melting. It did not seem to catch fire at the engine.
My theory is that there was a short behind the instrument panel that caused the fire/burn. What doesn't make sense to me is why the harness at the engine side was hot, and seemingly melting. Wonder if anyone else has had something similar happen. She is a 1990. Universal M-25xp
I then looked back into the cockpit from inside the cabin and noticed large amounts of smoke billowing from the vicinity of the ignition/instrument panel aft in the cockpit on the port side. I immediately dashed to the panel pulled the engine stop lever and turned the electrical key to the off position. I then secured a fire extinguisher from the cabin and switched the main battery/power switch to the off position. The smoke continued to emanate from the vicinity of the ignition/instrument panel. It smelled like an electrical fire. The total time from lighting the glow plugs to turning the engine off was approximately 4 or 5 minutes.
I quickly unscrewed the instrument panel and the back of it was burning. The wires were burning and melting and smoking. I was able to extinguish the burning without discharging the extinguisher. Most of the wires on the back of the instrument panel were burned and charred and the fiberglass on the hull above the panel was hot and sticky. I went to the engine area once I was certain there was no fire at the instrument panel. I noticed the other end of the wiring harness at the engine was also hot and seemingly melting. It did not seem to catch fire at the engine.
My theory is that there was a short behind the instrument panel that caused the fire/burn. What doesn't make sense to me is why the harness at the engine side was hot, and seemingly melting. Wonder if anyone else has had something similar happen. She is a 1990. Universal M-25xp
