Headlight fusible link keeps blowing
06-23-19, 03:43 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Headlight fusible link keeps blowing
I’m starting to think I might just need to go through my whole electrical system because today I had a few friends asking about my car so I decided to show them so I started it up and I went to show them the pop ups and I turned the lights to the on position and nothing happened I went to check my fusible link because I know that’s a common problem and it was blow no big deal I have another one in my car I replaced that fuse and then I tried the headlights again nothing I went back to the brand new fusible link and the wire inside was burnt to a crisp and broken so I have come to you all for some help because I’m clueless and definitely not a wiring type of person
06-23-19, 04:47 PM
#2
Make sure one of the motors hasn't seized somehow. Open the hood, pull the rubber cap off the top of each motor and manually crank the light thru a cycle: all the way up, continue cranking till back down. Does it bind anywhere? Have you ever cleaned off and re-lubed the 4 pivot points on each of the motor arms?? these should be done yearly or the nylon insert in the rod will fail and you will need to replace the whole arm (tho a Member does sell these nylon inserts as a kit in the Classifieds). Check to see each arm is correctly attached AND MOVING, on its ball-pivot.
Once you have cycled both lights, insert another fuse and try again.
AND
with a fuse in place, try raising the lights with the CONSOLE SWITCH (if your RX7 has one. I know the 1978-80 models do) instead of the main, column switch. If the column switch has a short, you might trace the problem to that, if the lights rise with the console switch OK.
If you do not have one, you should obtain/download an Electrical Manual for your year of RX7. If you need to start chasing wiring, you will have to have this.
Stu A
80GS
AZ
Once you have cycled both lights, insert another fuse and try again.
AND
with a fuse in place, try raising the lights with the CONSOLE SWITCH (if your RX7 has one. I know the 1978-80 models do) instead of the main, column switch. If the column switch has a short, you might trace the problem to that, if the lights rise with the console switch OK.
If you do not have one, you should obtain/download an Electrical Manual for your year of RX7. If you need to start chasing wiring, you will have to have this.
Stu A
80GS
AZ
06-23-19, 07:23 PM
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
I just purchased a new set of bushings because they were all busted up but it’s not the headlight retractor fuse that is blowing it’s the actual headlight fuseable link
and also when I go to twist the ***** once I move it a bit it does a full rotation on its own
and also when I go to twist the ***** once I move it a bit it does a full rotation on its own
Last edited by Photo_Boi; 06-23-19 at 07:43 PM.
06-23-19, 08:53 PM
#4
ancient wizard...
Before you start chasing your tail,quick test,remove both headlamps and unplug connector on back. Turn headlights on,if fuselink doesn't blow,leave headlights on and plug in one of headlamps. If link blows headlamp has a short, doesn't blow,plug in other one.
This pertains more to pre halogen capsule headlamps when tungsten lamps like what came in these cars used to break their filaments. Sometimes the filament would flop over and bridge to the ground lug inside the lamp and burn the fuselink.
Cheap halogen capsules have been known for this to happen but not often. I would suggest you try this before anything else. Also,you may want to use a pair of jumper wires to go from the blades in fuselink to blades on an ATO type fuse of 15 amps. They blow much quicker for testing purposes than fuselinks and are are much cheaper.
Hopefully you get lucky with the above...next thing i would check while headlamps are still out is the headlight harness a couple inches behind headlight connector for breaking or damage from being pinched. All the years the headlights have gone up/down can fatigue the wires in this area.
This pertains more to pre halogen capsule headlamps when tungsten lamps like what came in these cars used to break their filaments. Sometimes the filament would flop over and bridge to the ground lug inside the lamp and burn the fuselink.
Cheap halogen capsules have been known for this to happen but not often. I would suggest you try this before anything else. Also,you may want to use a pair of jumper wires to go from the blades in fuselink to blades on an ATO type fuse of 15 amps. They blow much quicker for testing purposes than fuselinks and are are much cheaper.
Hopefully you get lucky with the above...next thing i would check while headlamps are still out is the headlight harness a couple inches behind headlight connector for breaking or damage from being pinched. All the years the headlights have gone up/down can fatigue the wires in this area.
06-23-19, 09:04 PM
#5
Before you start chasing your tail,quick test,remove both headlamps and unplug connector on back. Turn headlights on,if fuselink doesn't blow,leave headlights on and plug in one of headlamps. If link blows headlamp has a short, doesn't blow,plug in other one.
This pertains more to pre halogen capsule headlamps when tungsten lamps like what came in these cars used to break their filaments. Sometimes the filament would flop over and bridge to the ground lug inside the lamp and burn the fuselink.
Cheap halogen capsules have been known for this to happen but not often. I would suggest you try this before anything else. Also,you may want to use a pair of jumper wires to go from the blades in fuselink to blades on an ATO type fuse of 15 amps. They blow much quicker for testing purposes than fuselinks and are are much cheaper.
Hopefully you get lucky with the above...next thing i would check while headlamps are still out is the headlight harness a couple inches behind headlight connector for breaking or damage from being pinched. All the years the headlights have gone up/down can fatigue the wires in this area.
This pertains more to pre halogen capsule headlamps when tungsten lamps like what came in these cars used to break their filaments. Sometimes the filament would flop over and bridge to the ground lug inside the lamp and burn the fuselink.
Cheap halogen capsules have been known for this to happen but not often. I would suggest you try this before anything else. Also,you may want to use a pair of jumper wires to go from the blades in fuselink to blades on an ATO type fuse of 15 amps. They blow much quicker for testing purposes than fuselinks and are are much cheaper.
Hopefully you get lucky with the above...next thing i would check while headlamps are still out is the headlight harness a couple inches behind headlight connector for breaking or damage from being pinched. All the years the headlights have gone up/down can fatigue the wires in this area.
Last edited by KansasCityREPU; 06-23-19 at 09:08 PM.
06-23-19, 10:44 PM
#6
ancient wizard...
KCR,i do things the way i do because i worked flat rate pay for a lot of years. You got paid on what you did in x amount of time. Efficiency is needed to be able to earn an honest living. I came up with ways to logically eliminate as many factors possibly causing whatever the problem i was trying to diagnose as quickly as possible to save time and make money,like any other tech.
Later in my career i became a troubleshooter in dealerships where i worked. They felt my time was better spent diagnosing problem vehicles, they changed my pay scale so there was less pressure to produce,but not that much less pressure,lol.
Ultimately fault tracing diagnosing electrical,driveability,engine,powertrain issues is what i did and once problem was verified/duplicated, vehicle was turned over to another tech to replace diagnosed defective parts.
When i suggest a step by step path to help a member diagnose their particular problem,i take into account they're not mechanics so i start my 1st post with basic tests that i know will eliminate certain things and that poster can perform for themself. Asking them to post back results of tests i suggested allows me to direct them on to the next thing to check,explain how part works and why you test it this particular way. The bottom line is to arrive at a solution with a minimum of time and money invested.
I've worked with a lot of members here,online in the forums,thru PMs,emails,phone calls. Some take direction better than others,on this forum,i've had some difficulties with posters skipping and jumping around on the order of testing generating inconclusive results. Each is different so i try not to tell them what to do,i "suggest" methods to proceed that if followed will help me direct them from their posted results the path they should proceed for next phase of diagnosis. Basically,i try to fix their cars with their hands.
Following OPs posts here i feel he might not have much mechanical acumen. I suggested what i did to quickly find the cause,or eliminate causes and depending on info he posts back, the direction needed to go next.. Where tools like multimeters,test lights and such are involved/needed,most do not have these and/or know how to use them or what the results they may get mean. Start basic,then guide them thru more complicated tests as needed and instruct along the way. Make sense?
Later in my career i became a troubleshooter in dealerships where i worked. They felt my time was better spent diagnosing problem vehicles, they changed my pay scale so there was less pressure to produce,but not that much less pressure,lol.
Ultimately fault tracing diagnosing electrical,driveability,engine,powertrain issues is what i did and once problem was verified/duplicated, vehicle was turned over to another tech to replace diagnosed defective parts.
When i suggest a step by step path to help a member diagnose their particular problem,i take into account they're not mechanics so i start my 1st post with basic tests that i know will eliminate certain things and that poster can perform for themself. Asking them to post back results of tests i suggested allows me to direct them on to the next thing to check,explain how part works and why you test it this particular way. The bottom line is to arrive at a solution with a minimum of time and money invested.
I've worked with a lot of members here,online in the forums,thru PMs,emails,phone calls. Some take direction better than others,on this forum,i've had some difficulties with posters skipping and jumping around on the order of testing generating inconclusive results. Each is different so i try not to tell them what to do,i "suggest" methods to proceed that if followed will help me direct them from their posted results the path they should proceed for next phase of diagnosis. Basically,i try to fix their cars with their hands.
Following OPs posts here i feel he might not have much mechanical acumen. I suggested what i did to quickly find the cause,or eliminate causes and depending on info he posts back, the direction needed to go next.. Where tools like multimeters,test lights and such are involved/needed,most do not have these and/or know how to use them or what the results they may get mean. Start basic,then guide them thru more complicated tests as needed and instruct along the way. Make sense?
Last edited by GSLSEforme; 06-23-19 at 10:47 PM. Reason: spelling
06-29-19, 11:04 PM
#7
Junior Member
Thread Starter
So I unplugged both headlamps and then the fuse still blew so I’m starting to think there is a huge ground that came loose on my car and is causing a whole bunch of stuff to go wrong
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06-30-19, 01:58 AM
#10
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Haven’t done a whole bunch of work on that but honestly it might have gotten fixed with it I need to get some more 15amp fuses because I blew my only one testing the headlights
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