My Cuda died and what about insurance

[jlemler]

So the beat goes on.  When it rains it pours.  I finally purchase everything I need to put the new fiberglass headliner in to my 70 383 cuda with almost perfect engine bay.  I get up early Saturday morning with a new spring in my step.  I am taking the car to the shop that will install my headliner.  I unhook the battery tender.  Attach the battery.  Hop in the car and boom goes the battery after a few cranks.  I hustle down the street  Buy a new battery and crank the car and it starts.  I get down to the bottom of the street and I smell electrical burning smell and I see light wisps of smoke in the cabin.  I shut the engine off.  The smoke stops.  I make a split decision.  I crank the car get it to the house and leave it on the front lawn.  The electric small and smoke return on my short ride back.  I have no idea what the problem is.  The shop is towing it later today.  Question I thing the insurance will cover the tow.  How about the damage?

I have all of the interior light working, including the door ajar, and seat belt warning lights
I have all of the running lights and headlights working.
No radio and smoke when it starts.

[Dakota]

Sorry to hear about your electrical issues.

I can't speak at all about insurance as it depends on what coverage your have.   My wife's membership with AAA would, I believe, cover the tow as long as she was in the car when the problem started.

It's probably the last thing you want to read right now, but there's a need for a few questions:

Can you say a little more about what you mean about the battery going "boom"?  Did you actually hear something pop or explode?  Or did the battery just die?

As best you could tell, was the smoke originating from inside the cabin, or did it drift into the cabin from the engine compartment?

New or old wiring?

What modifications have been done to the car electrical system (such as an ammeter bypass)?

I am far from an electrical expert, but I'll throw my 2 cents here anyways if the smoke came from the engine compartment.  If your car is wired like a stock vehicle, nearly all the circuits are going to be protected with either a fuse or a fusible link.   The 2 noteworthy exceptions are the wire between the starter relay and the starter, and the charging wire off the alternator.   These are both substantial wires so they shouldn't  be too hard to find.   I'd suggest inspecting the lines to see if they make contact with the frame or engine block which would cause a short circuit.   Look for cracks or burn marks on the wire insulation.

Are all your lights and accessories still working?   The reason I ask is that you may be burning up fusible links.   They have to be replaced once they're cooked and they generate a lot of smoke when they fail (see the attached video starting around 2:50).     

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgNZ1jBgFfw

I don't think they'd keep burning after the first event, so odds are it's something else.

I'm sure some of the forum's wizards will respond to your post with better questions and insights about what might be going on. 

[anlauto]

Yea...that's where AAA comes in handy....I'm always scared to claim anything on insurance in fear of my premium going up...

[JS29]

Comprehensive clams should not increase your insurance premium.   

[RUNCHARGER]

Did you see any bare wires rubbing in the engine compartment? I would check the wires going down to the starter first and make sure they aren't rubbed/burnt through near the exhaust manifold.
Also is he amp gauge headed for the big D all the time or just when the you turn the ignition switch to run?

[docmel]

I dont know of any insurance company that coverspayment to repair  mechanical or electrical breakdowns   If had burned up, maybe

Contact your ins company and let us know

[Spikedog08]

One thing that comes to mind . . Check to make sure your negative battery cable is completely tight and has a good clean connection.  If not, what you described will be the end result . .

[B5fourspeed]

If the engine harness and forward light harnesses are old I would replace both of them.Are you sure the smell is not coming from under the dash.

[anlauto]

Comprehensive clams should not increase your insurance premium.   

In a perfect world maybe

...Up here in Canada, they are always looking for someway to increase your premiums 

[Rich G.]

My friends 57 chevy caught on fire under the dash. Its a metal painted dash and it bubbled up the paint and melted some wires underneath the dash and hood. I gave his insurance company a price to fix it and the guy said no problem and if it cost more let them know. So I guess it's up to you coverage.

[jimynick]

I don't know where you're located, but in Canada, the cause of the loss is not covered. IE: the tire blows out and shreds the fender.door. They won't cover the tire, but the resulting damages they will.  As for increasing your premium, most companies now offer first claim forgiveness and won't increase your policy $. As for the smoke, check the firewall bulkhead connector and the wires going into and out of it because it's a notorious cause of wiring woes in these cars. Good luck 

[71383bee]

I have Hegarty with the option Plus program and they cover any breakdown with free towing for up to 50 miles.  After that there is a per mile fee.  I've had to use them 3 times in my life and its worth it.  One was a full faltbed tow for a flat tire and the other two were for running it out of fuel.  I didn't pay 1 cent and my premiums never went up.  Very friendly and easy to deal with. 

As for your electrical gremlin I agree some more data is needed to nail it down but my 2 cents is that with every car mopar I have done I replace the engine forward harness's, the battery cables, and install an amp bypass.  These cars typically have had over 40+ years of splicing and repairs done to the wiring and are an accident waiting to happen.  It's money well spent up front. 

Good luck with it and check out hegarty. 

[tparker]

As others mention, it depends on your coverage. I would think a typical insurance company would be leary of electrical work of some 50 year old cars I have been in. LOL. People have rigged up all sorts of electrical nightmares that I am sure wouldn't pass any insurance inspection. Not sure about Hagerty and other classic car insurance. I am sure they do their due diligence and do some basic checking to make sure the vehicle is in decent condition and might cover it.

Where did the smoke appear to be coming from? I assume engine compartment? Perhaps it was spilled oil or other fluids hitting the exhaust or headers. I once caught some brake fluid on fire when the rubber hose in the rear broke and leaked into the exhaust. So start by looking for fluids drips. Then start looking for burned wires or even paint.

If I couldn't find anything from simple inspections, I would open the hood and and have someone start the car and be at the ready to turn it off. A fire extinguisher would be a good idea to have on hand. The risk here is you could do more damage as you could cause burn something out. Perhaps a safer but longer process is to test the circuts. I just did this with my car with out an engine in it and it took a bit as the manual had my wiring listed for another car. Still not sure what is up with that.

Good luck, Hope it turns out ok

[jlemler]

So, here is the final to the story.  I have classic car insurance.  It is through a common name in the industry.  The only thing covered was the tow.

The boom for the battery was a bad battery.  I new that when it happened.  The hole in the side and acid leaking all over the try was a pretty big clue.  As for the smoke in the cabin there was an issue under the the dash.  Boy were there issues.  The main culprit was the wire going from the low fuel relay up to the console.  The part under the dash was burned through the insulation. There were other connectors that needed fixing.

So here is the deal, new battery cables, basic engine wire cleanup, dash wires rework replaced where needed.  New connections and terminals.  New hardboard headliner installed all for about 2,000.00.  Was it worth it, yes.

[70vert]

I highly recommend an AGM battery (I have Optima Red Top) because they don't have acid to leak, and they last forever! Might not have prevented all your issues but maybe lessened them.

So, here is the final to the story.  I have classic car insurance.  It is through a common name in the industry.  The only thing covered was the tow.

The boom for the battery was a bad battery.  I new that when it happened.  The hole in the side and acid leaking all over the try was a pretty big clue.  As for the smoke in the cabin there was an issue under the the dash.  Boy were there issues.  The main culprit was the wire going from the low fuel relay up to the console.  The part under the dash was burned through the insulation. There were other connectors that needed fixing.

So here is the deal, new battery cables, basic engine wire cleanup, dash wires rework replaced where needed.  New connections and terminals.  New hardboard headliner installed all for about 2,000.00.  Was it worth it, yes.