I just recently bought a 91 Camaro RS with most power options. Well heres the deal. We figured out it needed a fuse for the power locks, rear hatch release, horn, and interior lights. we put in a 20 and it blew right away. we put in a 25 and it blew after about a minute. two days later we tried a 30 and it blew after about 5 minutes(the funny thing was it was working and then when i revved the gas, i heard a click and everything on that fuse stopped working.) so there is a short somewhere. My question is, does anyone know what i could do so that i would not have to bring it in to spend mucho money? I'm only 16 and don't have wads of money coming outta my wallet. Thanks a lot.
Gadget

 

i have the same problem and i am messing with it right now along with the fog lights. the same thing happened to me, but i had a 7.5 in and it has been working for the last 10 minutes but thats not the fuse that is supposed to be in there, i am stumped.

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Brandon
"ScreaminDeamin 360"
350 60 over, TRW forged 9.83:1 pistons,Hooker Comp headers, crane cam 216/228 .484/.512, crane 1.6 RR's, ported plenum, home made ram air, 19 lb SVO injectors, crane AFPR, all going through 3 inch mandrel pipe and a flowmaster.
New project-89 IROC
http://users.argolink.net/bvana

 

Gadget,

I feel your pain. Same damn fuse blows in my 88 GTA. Its the accessory fuse : interior lights, horn, cig lighter, etc. It used to blow immediately, then some people said to clean out the lighter. Cleaned it out, then the fuse lasted about 5 minutes. Then I disconnected the lighter, now the fuse lasts anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 hours.
Other thinggs I have done :::

---> disconnected lighter (already mentioned that)

---> jiggled wires around fuse box (doesn't blow any fuse).

---> Removed dome light bulb.

--->Removed battery to look at horn wiring. Left it alone, looks normal.

My owners manual says the computer command control is on that accy fuse, but the car still runs the same when fuse blows.

My rear hatch motor still works when fuse is blown too !

Gadget, does your rear hatch motor still work when the fuse blows ? I wonder if my car has been rewired. Bought it used.


I suggest you disconnect, or at least clean out the lighter and see what happens.

GTA88

 

you will have to disconnect every accessory that is fed by that fuse one at a time, to narrow down the problem.

good luck
ODB

 

ODB,

What if the short is somewhere in the wiring BEFORE the accessory? Then you could disconnect ever accessory and still have the fuse blowing out, right ?

GTA 88

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88 GTA Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.

 

GTA88
my hatch motor still works when the fuse is blown just not the switch for it in between the seats. i have no idea what to do, i guess i will try the lightor thing. exactly what in the lightor do i clean?

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Brandon
"ScreaminDeamin 360"
350 60 over, TRW forged 9.83:1 pistons,Hooker Comp headers, crane cam 216/228 .484/.512, crane 1.6 RR's, ported plenum, home made ram air, 19 lb SVO injectors, crane AFPR, all going through 3 inch mandrel pipe and a flowmaster.
New project-89 IROC
http://users.argolink.net/bvana

 

yeah screamin, thats exactly the same for me, the motor works just not the switch...

 

the rear hatch switch only triggers a relay that actually powers the hatch motor from the battery.

disconnecting accessories is the easiest way to eliminate things quickly. You don't resort to continuity testing of every wire from the source until everything else is checked. Accessories have a much higher failure rate than the wires do.

 

once the accessories are unhooked on that circuit, you can do a continuity check between the fusebox (that fuse slot) and the car body (ground) to check for a short. You cannot do this accurately as long as everything is still hooked up. Then again, if the wire is a dead short then you should see it using an ohm meter between the fuse panel (accessory side) and the body. It just won't tell you where the short is.

 

now, i was talking with some guys in a chat a couple of nights ago and they said to try changing the battery first. My friend took a look at it and said it was the original kind of battery still. So would it be the stock one that they put it when it was made? i am gessing not because dont they last for like 5 years? and if it was 5 years, then it would be time for a new one because it is a 91. they guys in the chat were saying, the fuse is blowing because its not getting enough power or something because this is the main power source fuse. it controls the interior lights, horn, rear hatch release button, door locks, lighter, etc.

 

Gadget,

I never heard a low battery causing a fuse to blow. I guess it's possible. I blew out the cigarette ashes from my lighter with a straw. That helped keep the fuse intact for 10 minutes. But disconnecting it was better. Fuse lasts an hour sometimes now. My next move will be to locate the horn relay and jiggle it around, see if fuse blows. Then I'll see if I can disconnect the hatch motor somewhere. Grasping at straws. Hope it's not the CCC causing the short.

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88 GTA Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.

 

it's not your battery.