Burning smell from PSU - help!

[scsi stud]

Okay, I have an IBM Intellistation ZPro server (for a print processing machine we have at work), and all of a sudden, the computer shut off and you could smell something burning.

The PSU was the one with the smell, so we swapped out the PSU (it is a specially made PSU, cannot be bought off the shelves, only from IBM), so we got another one from someone and put it in, and what happens is that the computer turns on for about 2-3 seconds, the fans start spinning, but I immediately smell the PSU burning, so I therefore pull the power cord.

Is there a chance that the problem could lie in the motherboard? I see no other explanation (other than the PSU still being bad, but what are the odds of that?)

Any help would be greatly appreciated in trying to troubleshoot this. Thanks.

 

[Captante]

Bad news is that although the motherboard might indeed be the problem, its very likely that the PSU cooked it when it failed. The only way to determine this for certain is to test the components seperately which may be difficult if they use a non-standard ATX power plug.

 

[scsi stud]

Thanks for the reply; how would you test the components separately?

 

[Captante]

You would need to get another one of both the power supply & motherboard, then hook them up one at a time.

 

[timxpx]

since you get the smell still after swapping out psu's, check your motherboard for blown capacitors (the little different colored cylinders sticking out of the board). in my experience, thats what produces the unmistakable burning silicon smell. at the very worst, you'd see some burnt melted black stuff coming out of the top of the capacitors.