BARF1

I work at NAPA, we sell rolls of fuseable link for like $5, there's 4 different gauges if I recall correctly, it's where all the other wire and connectors are.

jarath

I've heard that a regular fuse that normally goes in the fuse box will plug right in where the link normally is.

Deathshead

thanks for the help!! Does it sound like Im on the right track? I am planning on a new battery and cables along with the fusible links if these do not work does anybody have any suggestions on what else I could check to get her running?

John64

Replace all the battery cables and upgrade all the grounds. I would add an extra ground from the engine to the body. Here is a great link for the cable replacement.
http://www.jimrothe.com/mazda/battery_cables.html

Manntis

So - for those of us doing rear bin battery relocation, run a wire from the battery to the fusebox input, yeah?

Stevan

iTrader: (17)

From the starter to the fusebox, sorry I didn't reply earlier, see batt reloc thread.

1979mazdarx7

i'm going to try and do this in my car, only question is what did you do with the negative wire, i didnt see it on the pictures provided

bliffle

Leave the fusible links in. Why create new problems? Have you ever blown a link?

Fusible links are easy to test with a voltmeter without removing anything. And they are slow-blow so you get a little margin.

I wouldn't buy a RX-7 with fusible links replaced with fuses. I'd have to convert it back, and it worries me that the PO would do that. What other bogus ideas has he incorporated?

Links are available at the JY, and the link material is available at the autostore.

1979mazdarx7

i guess it all ***** down to is personal opinion
i suspect that they are dead because i have no electric in the car whatsoever and i feel that the benifits would be good as well being as the car is 30 and would probally like to idle bettr

bliffle

Bah! You only have suspicions.

It's easy to test the links with an ordinary multimeter available for about $15 from Radio Shack. You can test the links in situ with the voltmeter, just attach the black lead to ground and probe the back of each link with the red lead with the range set to 20v. You should get the same voltage at each end of the link, right? If a link shows 12v. at one end and 0v. at the other end it is open, right? Best to do this while the engine is running so most of the circuits are working.

For any link that shows 0v. at both ends you can test it for continuity by pulling it out, setting the multimeter on an ohms range (use low ohms, this is a power application, not an electronics app) and check for 0 ohms, indicating a complete circuit. Some multimeters have a 'continuity' tester that sounds a little buzzer.

Some mechanics, who don't understand electricity and don't want to learn, try to reduce an electrical problem to a mechanical problem by replacing electrical components, whereas a few simple electrical metrics can solve their problem.

1979mazdarx7

thing is the engine does not start being as the car is electricaly dead.

bliffle

"Electrically dead"?

Is the battery charged? Your multimeter should show 12 to 12.7 volts.

When installed, does the battery voltage drag down? Maybe there's a short, altho usually we'd expect an open circuit.

Are the battery terminals clean? Are the IDs of the cable clamps clean?

When you hook the cable clamps onto the battery do you get 12v. between the positive clamp and any convenient chassis ground? Maybe you have an open ground cable.

Does anything electrical work? If it's just the starter then you only have to test that.

Etc. You gotta move that multimeter around and find out where the voltage stops.

Was this car running before? Do you suspect anything that has happened recently?

DarkDrakeX

**** im too lazy for that.. i read a thing about people etting good links from az for it.. soo i went and got these.


30/60/30 cost me about 6 bucks.. and i dont have to mod anything.. took some trying to get them to fit in perfect and work correctly but they work like a charm =)

gsl-se addict

iTrader: (3)

A good way to check to see if the main link is bad is to see if your headlights/retractors still work. If they do, but nothing else does, then the main link is likely bad. If nothing works, then your battery is dead or battery cables disconnected/bad. There is a small wire that goes from battery + to the fusible links. Check that out too.

As for the links, they are generally trouble free as bliffle states. You can switch to the 2nd gen style fuses and still keep the same fusible link block. They plug right in. You only need the correct amperage rating on the fuses. darkfrost has a tutorial in the archives. The main adantage of converting is easy replacement in case they ever blow (they shouldn't ever blow, though). Although autoparts stores carry the fusible link material, most of the guys that work there have no clue as to what it is and where they would find it. If you are lucky and have an autoparts store where the guy actually knows cars, then the conversion is moot.

Personally, I converted to the 2nd gen fuse box to gain a couple extra circuits in case I ever go to e-fan or similar.

Anyway, you need to test things to figure out what the problem is. It isn't hard to do and it will save a lot of time/money/frustration compared to playing a guessing game and replacing parts at random.

challer2000

I have been using the same setup as DarkDrakeX... 6 months with nno probs.

I got mine from advanced and it was like $10

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...e=1301&PTSet=A

John64

I'm actualy running two 2nd gen fuses boxes in parallel. I run way to many electrical gizmo's, so I alwats need extra. Don't get me wrong, I did not fill up both of them. (Fog lights, efan, headlights, Main, retractors, comp, injectors, another main and my air horn!) Yes I did have my local sign guy (friend) make up new vinyl covers, so they are labelled correctly.

XLNDRVR

iTrader: (3)

Ditto the same setup as DarkDrakeX. Quick, cheap, easy, works like a charm. Find them at any auto parts store. Pink are 30A, yellow are 60A.

blown7

does anyone have a wiring diagram on where they put each wire on the fc panel, or does it matter. I want to do this to my GSL drag car and my GSL-SE street car.....


Thanks in advance

RotorMotorDriver

iTrader: (1)

I screwed up once and put a battery in backwards. It was the wrong one for the car and I was just trying to get it started, blah blah. Anyway, it blew the fuseable links. New ones and it was fine. Definitely start there.

~T.J.

Rotor_Venom08

iTrader: (3)

Where did my ingition, computer one go mines doesnt have that second peice right there. am i missing something?

ray green

iTrader: (14)

I'll bet that extra box is for an SE, "injectors" and "computer" would be different in SE's.

gsl-se addict

iTrader: (3)

^ Exactly. Only 3 links for a 12A car. 5 for the GSL-SE.

Couple ways to do this. You can swap the whole FC box over (like in the Max7 pics) or you can simply put FC fusible links in your 12A fusible link block (much easier). Depends what you are looking for. If adding multiple large current electrical items (e-fan, amps, etc.), then adding the FC fusebox will give you more spots to tap into power for the future.

Also, when you are done, send your old fusible links to Ray. He loves them.

Going to kill off the other threads that you bumped up. We should be able to take care of your questions in this thread.

Kent

Rotor_Venom08

iTrader: (3)

alright cool, i was just looking for an answer and didnt know which thread was still alive. LOL but how do you put the main on the second gen box? in the bolt? if so on which one on which side. the one with two or one? im not very electrical savvy. funny how i major in electrical engineering.

gsl-se addict

iTrader: (3)

I would have to check mine for markers or whatever. The key is that you will see that one side connects to all fuses (look under the FC box, should be a copper bar connecting all fuses on one end). This is the 'feed' for the box. This is the side where you attach the smaller wire that comes from the battery (+). Connect the battery (+) wire to the bolt on the center link (use a ring terminal connector) on this side with the copper bar. Across from this bolt (on the other side of the main fuse (typically 80A fuse), you will have the wire that goes to the fuse box in the car and the alternator output wire. These wires should be white w/ red stripe. Might be different on your car depending on year, etc. Best to check the wiring diagrams to be sure.

Then do your headlinks and retractors in a similar way. The 'feed' for them will already be connected at this point. Just have to connect the other end of the links to their respective system. These fuses will be the plug in type. The main fuse bolts in (will have long copper posts sticking out with holes in them).

If you don't want to do all this, you can simply plug FC fusible links into your 12A fusible link block. Look in the 1st gen archive. There is a thread started by 'darkfrost' on this process.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

Thanks for the offer of fusible links Kent, but as you might expect, I already have a few extra sets in my parts shed, salvaged from parts cars.

But the real point is, who needs extras? I've been driving 1st gens with fusible links for a decade and have not had to replace one yet.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.