Help, electrical short!

[jm2k94]

Hey guys this is my first post and am really hoping you guys can help! so a week ago I was driving my 86 at night and smoke started to come out of the cluster and out of the defrost vent. I pulled over and disconnected the battery. After I checked things out I proceeded to drive, a block later heavy smoke started coming out. I drove home with the headlights off after the smoke cleared and it was fine. I took out the cluster and found nothing. This has happened about a year ago, but never again until this week. I've replaced the headlight switch before, what could it be? Please help, thanks!

[KonaTrueno723]

Welcome to the forum!

We'll atleast you made it home safe & the car still ran...Whats not working? Found any burnt fuses? Need to get into that dash again & under it check everything out. Non-factory wires to diy switches or to the stereo, under dash components such as key/door chime box (seen those burn up before), see what you can find out & report back, it will give us a better idea to help you! BTW,elec probs are a biotch

[jm2k94]

Thanks for the advice Kona. The thing is, is that the times that it has happened its been at night, and maybe 2 minutes after I start the car and start driving. Do you think it could be the cluster or the headlights?

[KonaTrueno723]

Thanks for the advice Kona. The thing is, is that the times that it has happened its been at night, and maybe 2 minutes after I start the car and start driving. Do you think it could be the cluster or the headlights?

Could well be something to do with the lighting circuit. You mentioned replacing the light switch, what was happening before the switch replacement?