Big electrical problem

[SKimballC]

I got an hour out today and the problems popped up, sending me back to the family spread outside Memphis. Apparently my headlight issues in the other thread are part of a bigger problem. There's now no power to about half of the positions in the fusebox. I lost constant 12v at the headlight switch and keyed power to the door locks, radio, and inside lights. I still have power to the windows, AC blower, the dash gauges, brake lights, turn signals, and the fuel selector fuse that my Gear Vendor power is running off of.

Here's the thing- It was working fine and the moment I lost power was when I released the parking brake. I checked everything at the back of the fuse box and see nothing amiss. Nothing obviously disconnected or melted anywhere, but the fuse for the headlights WAS blown. The fuse that I added before the new toggle switch I wired the headlights into yesterday is NOT blown.
Could this possibly be the ignition switch? I picked one up. I am going to go back through the wiring around the fuse box and see if I missed anything.
Also, is there any under hood fuses hiding from me that I don't know about? Is there a headlight relay?

 

[typ4]

check the fusible links at the solenoid and then firewall connector, mine loosened up once and did the exact same thing, grease the connector before re installing, makes it hook up easier.
Did you try to put on the park brake to see if things came back on, just kidding.
Relates to the story about doing a brake job and having to change the taillight bulbs after because the new brakes blew them out, I dont work on peoples cars anymore after that.

there is no factory headlight relay.

 

[SKimballC]

Where exactly are the fusible links? At the starter solenoid on the fender?

It is not the ignition switch. Ruled that one out.
I'll check the firewall connector now.

 

[oregon-mike]

Shane,
I remember reading on one of the 3 diesel forums I frequent (here, tds & fte) about releasing the parking brake with a slam and some sort of wiring right where the pedal comes up being fragile.....don't remember the thread, or the site or the symptoms at this point, but I'll try googling & limiting my searches to those 3 sites for ya. Meanwhile, you may try to take a peek up under the dash where the brake pedal slams when released.

Mike

 

[tonkadoctor]

I've had a problem like this before on a car. Fuse blew only when pressing on the brake pedal and releasing the parking brake. Turned out to be a bare wire near the park brake assembly.

Fusable links will usually be at the starter solenoid. Will look like a short approx. 4" - 6" piece of wire spliced in to the wiring. Often a different color than the wire it is spliced into. Often when they go the insulation on the wire bubbles or fries too making it a dead givaway.

 

[oregon-mike]

Shane,
This is the first one I found that sounds like the article I read, but, it's dated '04 and I hadn't started reading up on IDIs until maybe January of this year : http://www.thedieselstop.com/archiv...33&page=13&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1.htm

Most of the articles had to do with the wiper wiring so I'm thinking this is the wrong tangent. Tonkadoc's probably got you headed down the right path.

Mike

 

[icanfixall]

Whenever I release the parking brake I have my foot on it so it doesn't snap up and make that ugly noise. Thats a good place to start looking for a short or at the main firewall harness into the cab plug.

 

[Exekiel69]

Whenever I release the parking brake I have my foot on it so it doesn't snap up and make that ugly noise. Thats a good place to start looking for a short or at the main firewall harness into the cab plug.

That is the first thing Mel told Me at the first meeting I attend to.

 

[Exekiel69]

SKimballC, sorry to hear this now that You have a long trip ahead. If it where Me I would be looking for a bare wire anywhere under the dash.

 

[SKimballC]

Found it. I was looking in the wrong place thinking something in the vicinity of the fuse box had been jarred loose. Wrong- its a fusible link. Now I know that there's like 8 fusible links between the battery and the fender. Pulled the battery and there's the burned out wire. Its the one.
So now my question is what amp fuse should I use to replace that burnt-out link?

Yeah, I always put my foot on the pedal when popping the release, but anyways... I gotta get this thing fixed and try to resume this journey ASAP.

 

[Exekiel69]

Found it. I was looking in the wrong place thinking something in the vicinity of the fuse box had been jarred loose. Wrong- its a fusible link. Now I know that there's like 8 fusible links between the battery and the fender. Pulled the battery and there's the burned out wire. Its the one.
So now my question is what amp fuse should I use to replace that burnt-out link?

Yeah, I always put my foot on the pedal when popping the release, but anyways... I gotta get this thing fixed and try to resume this journey ASAP.

Yes the amp # and replacing it is good, glad You found it, now what burned it...?

 

[tonkadoctor]

Found it. I was looking in the wrong place thinking something in the vicinity of the fuse box had been jarred loose. Wrong- its a fusible link. Now I know that there's like 8 fusible links between the battery and the fender. Pulled the battery and there's the burned out wire. Its the one.
So now my question is what amp fuse should I use to replace that burnt-out link?

Yeah, I always put my foot on the pedal when popping the release, but anyways... I gotta get this thing fixed and try to resume this journey ASAP.

Can't help you on the amperage of the fusable links.

What color link burnt out somebody here may have a wiring diagram and be able to look it up.

You do need to find the cause of this or it WILL do it again. Start looking under the dash around the park brake cable for bare wires.

 

[dsblack]

Is there a little plastic tab on the link? There is usually some type of marking. Also the color can be a code

 

[sle2115]

Might want to determine what overheated it and put a self reseting circuit breaker in there. I have had good luck with them, but if there is a short, the breaker will keep applying power, so be careful, nothing like an electrical fire...or so I have been told!

 

[SKimballC]

No tabs on the link. Its just dirty gray insulated wire to my eyes.

I do have a theory. I learned something about my electrical system today. The previous owner had run a wire from the fuse position for the headlight switch to a 12 volt adapter that was coiled up and tucked up under the dash. I had seen that wire in the fuse box but incorrectly assumed it was where they tapped the power for the Gear Vendor. What I assume happened was that the hot end of the adapter hit the brake as it swung up when I released it, thus blowing the fusible link. I may have knocked that adapter wire loose the other day- the day my headlight problems arose- when I ran a new hose for my boost gauge.
I have since removed that junk from under my dash and fuse box.