No power to headlight switch, replaced fusiblie links and got smoke?
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From: Tescott, Kansas 67484
Car: 1987 Camaro
Engine: 350 dart ies comp cam intake carb
Transmission: 700 r4, shift kit, 2400 stall
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt stock
No power to headlight switch, replaced fusiblie links and got smoke?
Hey all,
Headlights quit yesterday so I started with the switch, bought a new one with no luck so I checked all the pins on the connecter and none show power. So I replaced the fusible links by the solenoid with 10 gauge wire. When I started to hook the battery back up it arc'd and I got smoke rising up from the starter.
I'm about to go buy some actual fusible links, curious about the size or do I just get them for 14 gauge wire?
Also could this be a sign that I have a bad short somewhere? If so how would I go about finding that?
Headlights quit yesterday so I started with the switch, bought a new one with no luck so I checked all the pins on the connecter and none show power. So I replaced the fusible links by the solenoid with 10 gauge wire. When I started to hook the battery back up it arc'd and I got smoke rising up from the starter.
I'm about to go buy some actual fusible links, curious about the size or do I just get them for 14 gauge wire?
Also could this be a sign that I have a bad short somewhere? If so how would I go about finding that?
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 887
Likes: 17
From: Golden, CO
Car: 87 IROC
Engine: L31 350
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 4.10 D44
Re: No power to headlight switch, replaced fusiblie links and got smoke?
See post on duplicate thread.
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From: Aloha, Oregon
Car: 1991 Christine Z28
Engine: RV Cam and Intake 350 SBC
Transmission: 5speed
Axle/Gears: 3.08 ls Posi
Re: No power to headlight switch, replaced fusiblie links and got smoke?
Sounds like a bad ground.
Thread Starter
Member
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 140
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From: Tescott, Kansas 67484
Car: 1987 Camaro
Engine: 350 dart ies comp cam intake carb
Transmission: 700 r4, shift kit, 2400 stall
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt stock
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From: Houson
Car: 86 Firebird
Engine: 305 SBC
Transmission: 700 R4 TCI
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: No power to headlight switch, replaced fusiblie links and got smoke?
Yes you have a short to ground start short chaseing.
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 887
Likes: 17
From: Golden, CO
Car: 87 IROC
Engine: L31 350
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 4.10 D44
Re: No power to headlight switch, replaced fusiblie links and got smoke?
A bad ground might be A reason the lights didn't work.
When the OP mentioned replacing fusable links (+ side) and getting sparks and smoke, the problem is NOT with the normal ground. Instead the problem lies on the hot side that is grounded somewhere that should NOT be grounded. Looking for black wires screwed to the chassis is not going to solve this problem.
@OP - Follow the (red) wire that you've been messing with. Find where it goes to ground. Remove it from being grounded.
Or, remove the headlight switch. Disconnect the wire(s) at the starter. Put a multimeter on the supply wire (red. pink?) at the switch.
- Does it measure 0 ohms to ground? Bad. continue following the wire.
- Or does it read infinite ohms? good.
Or, remove the headlight switch, fix the wire, attach the battery... BRIEFLY.
- Does is spark? confirmed again, the wire is bad.
- Does it not spark? switch or after the switch is bad.
When the OP mentioned replacing fusable links (+ side) and getting sparks and smoke, the problem is NOT with the normal ground. Instead the problem lies on the hot side that is grounded somewhere that should NOT be grounded. Looking for black wires screwed to the chassis is not going to solve this problem.
@OP - Follow the (red) wire that you've been messing with. Find where it goes to ground. Remove it from being grounded.
Or, remove the headlight switch. Disconnect the wire(s) at the starter. Put a multimeter on the supply wire (red. pink?) at the switch.
- Does it measure 0 ohms to ground? Bad. continue following the wire.
- Or does it read infinite ohms? good.
Or, remove the headlight switch, fix the wire, attach the battery... BRIEFLY.
- Does is spark? confirmed again, the wire is bad.
- Does it not spark? switch or after the switch is bad.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,341
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From: Mooresville NC
Car: LOWERED ♦ CRIMSON METALFLAKE
Engine: ► 400 KUBES ◄
Transmission: 765R4
Axle/Gears: EATON POSI 4.56
Where’s There’s Smoke, There’s Light
As the above poster said, you have a short.
When replacing fusible links, use links that are 2 common (4 numerically) gages smaller.
So if you are protecting a 14 AWG wire, you will use an 18 AWG link.
You should the find the short before you replace the links, otherwise you will have to replace them again.
Grab an ohmmeter and set it to the lowest Ω range.
Disconnect the + battery cable.
Make sure the headlight switch is off.
Connect one lead of the ohmmeter to ground.
Now connect the other lead to the wire the link went to.
If a short is detected the reading will be at or near zero ohms.
If no short is detected the reading will be at or near infinity.
If a short is detected disconnect the square connector called C100, located on the left side firewall below the relay bracket.
Short no longer detected?
That means the short is in the driver’s compartment.
If no short detected yet, pull the headlight **** all the way to the on position.
Short detected yet?
If no, pull back on the headlight dimmer switch.
Short detected yet?
◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙
Happy Racing!
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If My Engine Has An Illegal Part, And The Inspector Doesn’t Hear It, Does It Make A Sound?
When replacing fusible links, use links that are 2 common (4 numerically) gages smaller.
So if you are protecting a 14 AWG wire, you will use an 18 AWG link.
You should the find the short before you replace the links, otherwise you will have to replace them again.
Grab an ohmmeter and set it to the lowest Ω range.
Disconnect the + battery cable.
Make sure the headlight switch is off.
Connect one lead of the ohmmeter to ground.
Now connect the other lead to the wire the link went to.
If a short is detected the reading will be at or near zero ohms.
If no short is detected the reading will be at or near infinity.
If a short is detected disconnect the square connector called C100, located on the left side firewall below the relay bracket.
Short no longer detected?
That means the short is in the driver’s compartment.
If no short detected yet, pull the headlight **** all the way to the on position.
Short detected yet?
If no, pull back on the headlight dimmer switch.
Short detected yet?
◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙
Happy Racing!
◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙
If My Engine Has An Illegal Part, And The Inspector Doesn’t Hear It, Does It Make A Sound?
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Re: No power to headlight switch, replaced fusiblie links and got smoke?
Sorry for a thread revival.... I had a similar problem with a blown fusible link on the "headlight" wire, or the one that is responsible for the radio, hatch, headlights etc. Using the above method and other tests I was able to determine that the short is on the interior of the vehicle past the c100 bulkhead connector. Where does this hot wire go to once it's on the interior side of the c100 and what all is it responsible for?
Does it go to the headlight switch and other accessories pull power from here, or to a fuse?
Does it go to the headlight switch and other accessories pull power from here, or to a fuse?
Supreme Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,341
Likes: 10
From: Mooresville NC
Car: LOWERED ♦ CRIMSON METALFLAKE
Engine: ► 400 KUBES ◄
Transmission: 765R4
Axle/Gears: EATON POSI 4.56
Where’s There’s Smoke, There’s Light
Originally Posted by startat2
Where does this hot wire go to once it's on the interior side of the c100 and what all is it responsible for?
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Happy Racing !
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If You Need To See Brake Lights To Know When To Apply Yours . . . . . . . . . GET OFF THE ROAD IMMEDIATELY!
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