Blowing fuses Options

[winkler1g]

I have no idea were the problem is, so I was hoping some of you guys would have some insite. My gauge cluster is not lighting up and the tail lights are also out. I keep on blowing 10amp tail light fuses under the hood. My tail lights still light up when I hit the brakes or use my turn signals. I put a 30amp fuse in and the cluster and the tail lights lit up just a little bit. I can not find any other blown fuses or grounded exposes wires so I have no idea if it is something incredible simple but who knows.

[treydawgs4g63T]

i am also clueless as i helped search for like an hour!!!!

[AWD DSM 1]

Check the bulbs, sometimes they burn out and short out the system. Otherwise start checking for a short in the system somewhere... electrical problems suck.

Oh, and get the 30 amp fuse out of there... good way to catch the car on fire. The wiring in that circuit is not meant to have 30 amps flowing through it, very likely you'll end up melting a wire and starting a fire.

[treydawgs4g63T]

thanks for the advice rob. and we didnt leave that fuse in their we just wanted to check if that would help for the time being. I mentioned to cory last night to check the bulbs so he most likely will this morning.

[mitsu90]

yup most likely the bulbs I had a beretta that 90% of the lights wouldn't work right if one went out

[winkler1g]

I just checked the bulbs this morning and they are all good. I am stumped. I dont know the first place to look for a short or how to find one.

[turbohcar]

Don't put a larger amp fuse in a slot that it's not supposed to be. You'll end up starting the wires on fire doing that and you'll have a charred wiring harness or a partially burnt car!

Check to make sure there isn't any water sitting in the bulb connectors as that can create a lead to ground and trip the fuse.

[winkler1g]

We took the bigger fuse out right away. we think we might know what it is when I bought the car the tach wire was cut behind the cluster so I had a auto meter tach in. I finally reconnected the wire and so the stock tach would work. Since I reconnected it I have taken the cluster out a couple times and I think the wire might have come loose and is touching something. B/C When we were thinking of wires that could have shorted that wire is the #1 canidate. Sadly my next day off is Tues. so for now it is literaly a daily driver. I have to drive the old ladies car to work.

[SCCA Stang]

well.... I do understand electronics quite well.... if you are popping fuses, it is a short to ground before the load.... put a correct amperage circuit breaker inplace of the blowing fuse. take a compass and run it next to the suspected wires.... as long as the compas points at the wire, you have power up to that point, when the compas veres away from the loom, that is likely your short.

the other method is placing a buzzer or test light (with someone watching the light) in place of the fuse, then start unplugging connectors that relate to that circuit.... when you start pulling connectors, start near the load, as long as the buzzer is going, you still have the short...... as soon as your buzzer stops, you have isolated the short between that connector and the last one you pulled.

you can also use the buzzer idea and simply do a wiggle test on the loop, when you you shake the correct wire, you might be able to break the shorted connection and the buzzer will stop, then resort back to the compass idea.

both the buzzer and the compass work well with trying to find opens also. the wiggle test is not so effective with opens.

the first thing I would as is when work was mosty recently done, (not just electrical either) in my experience, shorts and opens are most likely caused by these causes, technician neglect (pinching wires), after market accessories overloading a circuit and melting insulation and accidents.

[winkler1g]

Thanks for all the helpful info, but I will not be able to test anything till Tuesday so Ill keep you informed on my findings.

[katie]

I had something like this happen before and it ended up being a wire that came loose and was touching the alternator and shorting everything out... the wire ended up fusing to the alternator and shorting it out too.
Probably not too likely that this is what is happening with your car..... i'm curious to see if it is the tach wire

[winkler1g]

Well I think I figured out where the short is coming from I think . It is my driverside front turn signal I think. Last week it stoped working so i took it apart. When I would move the wires around the signal started to work again. I put it back together and put the wire so it would work. I know I should have fixed it then. I think that those wires are shorting eachother out some were. I unpluged the bulb and put in a fuse. The lights were working again. I blew out the turn signal connection and sprayed no flash in the connections. The turn signal would work again if I put it at a funky position again. But the lights were still working. I had everything working for almost 30min. I drove the car home from my shop its about 200 to 300 feet and they still worked. I went to leave from home so I turned on my lights and they went out again . What I am getting at is that I think its the turnsignal. need all the input or ideas I can get .

[winkler1g]

And as for the tach wire. I sat down and thought about it I dont think it can be it because the wire that was cut when I bought the car was the power wire for the tach not the light so I dont think it is that wire. But someone tell me if they think I am wrong. The already shorting out turn signal seems to be the trouble maker.

[SCCA Stang]

And as for the tach wire. I sat down and thought about it I dont think it can be it because the wire that was cut when I bought the car was the power wire for the tach not the light so I dont think it is that wire. But someone tell me if they think I am wrong. The already shorting out turn signal seems to be the trouble maker.

the turn signal would be where I would place my bet

[winkler1g]

I replaced both the turn signals. I mean I replaced everything not justthe bulbs I replaced the sockets and the plugs. They both work great now. I even went over all the wireing I have done and checked it all and even changed a couple things. After all that the running lights worked great just as gright as before. I had them working awsome for almost two hours. I was on my way to pekin when I got on it I hit fuel cut and the fuses started blowing again. That is exactly how it started the first time. So I am yet stumped again. One person thinks it might be my alternator. It ispushing about 14.5 volts and he thinks when I fuel cut I volt surge. Another person thinks its the switch. And another thinks its the ecu. I will be happy to accept any insight on the situation, b/c my nerves are about shot with with stupid problem.

[SCCA Stang]

do you have anyway of logging alternator out put while you drive???? if so you can hook that up and deliberately hit fuel cut to see if you are really getting a spike.

the only thing is that if that were the case then that means the the voltage regulator is not doing it's job. the only other thing that I can think of is the diodes in the alternator can possably be shorted causing A/C voltage to get out into your electrical system..... you can check that with a DVOM or something like that and look for A/C volts on the B+ terminal with the engine running..... you are looking for NO MORE THAN .5 V A/C.....

[winkler1g]

I guess I fixed it. It must have been the turn signals I redid them again. And presto they work haven't poped a fuse yet. I thank you all for your input.