2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.
Sponsored by:

Engine fuse (drivers kick panel) keeps blowing

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 09-30-04, 02:57 AM
  #1  
Im a tall midget.
Thread Starter
iTrader: (28)
 
Juan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: So Cal, USA
Posts: 3,131
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes on 5 Posts
Engine fuse (drivers kick panel) keeps blowing

All of a sudden the 15A engine fuse started blowing. The car had to be towed ($$$) home because of this and not being able to fix it bugs me. I ended up with a small pile of blown 15A fuses and a towtruck bill. What runs on that same line that can cause that specific fuse to blow? The car is an '87 TII.
Old 09-30-04, 09:27 AM
  #2  
HAILERS

 
HAILERS's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: FORT WORTH, TEXAS,USA
Posts: 20,563
Likes: 0
Received 21 Likes on 19 Posts
It feeds the Circuit opening relay and the fuel pump and the Main Relay.
Old 09-30-04, 09:35 AM
  #3  
HAILERS

 
HAILERS's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: FORT WORTH, TEXAS,USA
Posts: 20,563
Likes: 0
Received 21 Likes on 19 Posts
Its the fifteen amp fuse in this jpg feeding the Main Relay/ Circuit Opening Relay/Fuel Pump/. Maybe a fuel cut switch is shorting out that you installed?
Attached Thumbnails Engine fuse (drivers kick panel) keeps blowing-3d.jpg  

Last edited by HAILERS; 09-30-04 at 09:37 AM.
Old 09-30-04, 10:44 AM
  #4  
Lives on the Forum

 
WAYNE88N/A's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Coldspring TX
Posts: 5,721
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Always track down a short by isolating the bad dude (or bad wire dudette)...

Luckily, there's not much to this circuit...Unless you've added some things...And if you did, the simple act of overloading the circuit may be blowing the fuse...Depends on how fast she's blowing...

Here's what I would do if mine was blowing:
1) disconnect the plug from the back of the alt
2) disconnect the circuit opening relay (pull the plug)
3) insert fuse...If it blows, you have a wiring problem in the alt voltage reg/excitation circuit wiring (I'd look near the plug for chaffing against the water pump housing or front housing), the power circuit wiring for the fuel pump/circuit opening relay, or the main relay (or wiring going to it) is bad.

Isolate those three down to find the gremlin...

If it doesn't blow, reconnect the alt back plug and try again. If it blows, your alt volt reg is bad...

Disconnect the fuel pump plug at the left aft strut tower...

Reconnect the circuit opening relay. It if blows now, you've got a short in the wiring to the fuel pump connector, or the circuit opening relay...If it doesn't blow...

Reconnect the fuel pump connector...If it blows now, you probably have a bad fuel pump...
Old 09-30-04, 01:28 PM
  #5  
Im a tall midget.
Thread Starter
iTrader: (28)
 
Juan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: So Cal, USA
Posts: 3,131
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes on 5 Posts
I have a fuel pump kill switch installed but the fuse still blew after removing the switch.

Thanks HAILERS and WAYNE88N/A, I'll try to track down the gremlin today and I'll report back what I find.
Old 02-24-07, 05:19 PM
  #6  
Full Member

 
dreadseb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Near Calgary
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I had this same problem and took your advise to test it with the relay out and now the fuse hasn't blown yet. Does this relay only run the fuel pump or other stuff too.

Could I just leave the relay disconnected since it works like this.
Old 02-24-07, 08:10 PM
  #7  
I'm a boost creep...

 
NZConvertible's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posts: 15,608
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
Yay for three year old threads...

The fuel pump will not work with the relay disconnected unless someone's butched the wiring.
Old 02-24-07, 09:00 PM
  #8  
HAILERS

 
HAILERS's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: FORT WORTH, TEXAS,USA
Posts: 20,563
Likes: 0
Received 21 Likes on 19 Posts
Yeah. What is meant by that. Is the car running with that relay out?? Or is the fuse just not blowing and the car is resting in the driveway?

The relay is just a safety device and also supplies power to the fuel pump....on a normal car.
Old 02-25-07, 11:32 AM
  #9  
Full Member

 
dreadseb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Near Calgary
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yeah the wiring was slightly butched, as I wired in a fuel disconnect switch wired direct into the pump. So thats the main reason itll work with the relay out.

So can I leave the fuel pump running like this or should I try to work something about.
Old 02-25-07, 12:24 PM
  #10  
Full Member
 
benfer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Barrington RI
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
jump the fuse with a paperclip and look for smoke.
Old 02-26-07, 01:39 AM
  #11  
I'm a boost creep...

 
NZConvertible's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posts: 15,608
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
Originally Posted by dreadseb
Yeah the wiring was slightly butched, as I wired in a fuel disconnect switch wired direct into the pump. So thats the main reason itll work with the relay out.
A switch at the pump shouldn't allow the pump to run without the relay because the power comes from the relay. Something else must've been done to bypass the relay.

So can I leave the fuel pump running like this or should I try to work something about.
No because the circuit opening relay is a safety device. It kills the pump's power when the engine stalls, like in an accident.
Old 02-26-07, 08:38 AM
  #12  
HAILERS

 
HAILERS's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: FORT WORTH, TEXAS,USA
Posts: 20,563
Likes: 0
Received 21 Likes on 19 Posts
Originally Posted by dreadseb
Yeah the wiring was slightly butched, as I wired in a fuel disconnect switch wired direct into the pump. So thats the main reason itll work with the relay out.

So can I leave the fuel pump running like this or should I try to work something about.

Ah. It makes sense now. Most likely the problem is a dead short in the wire from the relay to the fuel pump. That Blue wire is probably dead shorted at the fuel pumps plug.
But there's other possibilities. That Blue wire from the relay also passes thru a connector near the pilots left foot area. A plug with a designator X-13. It''s a big seventeen pin/socket plug. If you have not been working in that area, then that's an unlikely suspect.

The Engine fuse also powers the Main Relay but that can't be the problem since the car runs with the Circuit Opening Relay out and the Main still in place.

I guess the relay itself might be shorted internally. Maybe.
Old 02-27-07, 08:11 PM
  #13  
Full Member

 
dreadseb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Near Calgary
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yeah, my switch is whats causing the short then because I have a switch wired from key voltage to the pump so thats what is causing the fuse to pop. I personally don't have a problem with it being this way and keeping the relay unplugged if it's just a safety issue, ill just bolt my trusty old fire extinguisher to the floor just in case.
Old 02-27-07, 10:28 PM
  #14  
I'm a boost creep...

 
NZConvertible's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posts: 15,608
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
You're assuming you're going to be conscious and mobile after a crash bad enough to cause a fuel leak?
Old 02-28-07, 04:05 PM
  #15  
Full Member

 
dreadseb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Near Calgary
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yeah, that and few other things like not getting in a bad crash and if I do crash it better be big enough damage to hurt me bad enough to knock me out it should be bad enough to destroy my battery thereby shutting off the fuel pump.
Old 07-04-08, 07:13 PM
  #16  
Senior Member

iTrader: (2)
 
londonmazda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: London Ontario Canada
Posts: 313
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
... any luck?
Old 07-04-08, 10:22 PM
  #17  
HAILERS

 
HAILERS's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: FORT WORTH, TEXAS,USA
Posts: 20,563
Likes: 0
Received 21 Likes on 19 Posts
On most every post on a Thread, you'll find the date and time that post was made. It's located at the top left of each post. Such as the very first post made by the original poster on this thread has 09-30-04 as the date. Then later on post number 15, the date of his post was 02-28-07.

Just a little FYI. Nothing more, nothing less.
Old 07-05-08, 12:41 AM
  #18  
Senior Member

iTrader: (2)
 
londonmazda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: London Ontario Canada
Posts: 313
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I am aware. but people still use this forum 4 years later :p thanks tho.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
trickster
2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992)
25
07-01-23 04:40 PM



Quick Reply: Engine fuse (drivers kick panel) keeps blowing



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:58 PM.