The car is an 88' GTU. I got it as a project a few weeks ago.

The problem is, as soon as you hook up the ground to the battery, the 80a main fuse blows almost instantly. I replaced the - battery terminal with a brass one, and put a new 8 gauge ground wire from the motor to firewall. Where i put it is right under the VIN, there was a ground wire there already, but not connected. Where is this wire supposed to connect to?
Is there anything more specifically I can look for or do to fix this?

 

Yes. Stop connecting the battery up backwards.

 

funny funny, that is definetly not the problem, lol.

I bought the car with the fuse blowing problem. I just put a new battery in also. The car only has 105k miles on it, so it will be a good beater if i could just get the damn thing to run!

 

check all your wiring, you might have a short some where.

 

it could be any number of things sounds like a short.

 

I got an entire new harness with the car. Would it be easier to just replace the engine side harness of the car, than to track down a wire?

 

Are you sure?

 

I am POSITIVE! I hooked the positive wire to the + on the battery, and almost just as soon as I touch the negative terminal to the -, it blows the main 80a fuse.

 

Which is the "positive wire" in your mind?

 

Are the headlights stuck up at all from body damage? They're the highest draw components next to the starter motor. I had a similar problem and didn't know what it was till I tried the manual turn **** and found the motor was nice and toasty. Of course, I had a solid wire for the main because that's what the previous owner fairy left me. I know it sounds stupid, but you can probably do the same to yours and check for large power draws everywhere.

 

common mistake is to hook the Battery cables up Backwards..I'm not sayin you DID,but for the Hell of it.Follow a Cable..(the one with the Stripe on it is the Negative)

 

Ok, I may have found a mistake. Is the wire that goes to the main 80a fuse supposed to join the + or - at the battery? (should be - right?) I believe its joined with the positive, I'll have to go check in the morning though.

 

The main should be positive.

 

Ok, Since the batt is connected up right, then go to the alternator and remove the large wire from the alt and place it where it won't short out. The reinstall a fuse and see what happens.

Did not blow? Either the alt is bad or the large wire is touching the intercooler etc.

Still blows? Then look just below the engine fuse box. Look for a single black wire with a single spade connector. See if that wire is frayed/bare and touching the chassis.

Not bare or touching the chassis? Then go to your ignition switch leads that are located about a foot below and fwd of the switch itseld. Find the two wire plug that has a pure black wire and a black/white wire along side it. Pull that plug apart and then install another fuse. IF it does not pop, then there MIGHT be an ignition switch problem.

The black/yellow wire is the negative wire on the battery.