ok, I first posted this:
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=170211
with my problem, and turns out that the fusbale links blew out by the starter. let me comment on what a pain in the *** these are to change. i repaired the blown wires, and all was good, so i thought. i threw some +12v to the car and i hear this ppphhht and than a nice cloud of grey smoke come up from the car. i had one blow again. i did have my key on when i turned the power back on, but i dont think that should of mattered. i do have ignition on the car now, i never did try and fire it up with that blown fuseable. anyone know where the wires from the starter go, i have one big one leading to the starter than 4x12awg wires off of the starter. anyone got any ideas on what causes the fusable links to blow out and the points i should test to see which wire did blow?

 

Carefully examine the wires that run from the battery to the ignition switch harness & headlight circuits for shorts. Do not bypass the fusible links.

 

Ouch!!!

Thats what happens when thigs go up in flames.

Yeah, don't ever try and bypass a fuseable link. You can upgrade them to the import style that has the enclosed yet visable element, which is what I did to save myself the hassle of those old wire types (on my ford anyhow).

Smokey says: "Only you can prevent fuseable link fires!!!"

 

Umm... Go look at the Chevy store. You won't find a fusible link anywhere. Since around 1993-94, GMs have eliminated the fusible links and used fuses in their place. You could do the same. Most factory setups use a 60A primary body fuse, sometimes tww or more.

 

I don't want to take this too far off topic, but what is HITHERE?

 

It was someone's idea of an April Fools' prank. Any entry made on April 1st would automatically replace an uppercase "I" oa "A" with "HITHERE". Any time "Camaro" was typed, it would be changed to "HITHEREHITHEREHITHEREHITHEREHITHERE".

Funny? Yeah, for about three posts. Annoying? Damned right. Frustrating? Yes, since none of the threads were automatically changed back after 4/1. Any thread even opened on that afternoon was thusly corrupted, even if the post wasn't made on that day.

I'd rather just see the site go down or redirected to a Mustang or Honda forum...

 

ok, i had some time on my hands so i decided to go out and see if i could fix this again. i thought maybe i fuxed up when i did the fusable links last time, and thats why it blew. so i redid the fuse that blew. turned off the ignition this time and turned my power back on. i stood there and waited. about 3 seconds later i hear this ppphhht sound that almost made me cry. that bastrd blew again. i tried to start the car with that link blown, and at cranks for a split seconds than all i hear is click click click. its the same sound it made when the battery was dead and the reason why i charged it in the first place. i have 1 wire going into the starter from the battery and 4 wires going out, its one of the ones on the out side that keeps blowing. all 5 of these wires (red) are on the larger terminal on the starter. i have a 10or12awg (purple/black/darkish) wire going to a terminal up and further toward the engine and another post on the stater closest to the floor/bottom with nothing on it. did i hook up the starter right to begin with? do you guys have any friggin idea what may be going on?

 

Did you change your stock ail filter to an aftermarket open air filter??

Pull off the air filter assembly and check the harness at the coil. Sometimes the filter is too tight and crushes the insulation on the wires at the coil, this makes a short on the air filter.

 

i do not have an aftermarket filter. this just happened out of the blue when i charged my battery, i think. i traced the wires from the starter, up to beside the intake, couldnt trace them where they go behind the engine, but i continued on the other side of the engine and into the harness plug. from what ive seen, the wires are in like new condition. would the short be coming from the wire that keeps blowing the fusable link, like a pice of metal directly touching that wire, or could a component of that wire be malfunctioning. this is friggin stupid

 

A) YES

B) Maybe, you would need the wiring diagram to identify the items on that particular circuit. The item(s) itself/themselves might have a short to ground.

C) There is nothing stupid about a device that keeps your car from catching on fire.

Shorts to ground are the most common electrical problem in cars. Trace the wiring and look for any areas where the wiring is chafed, pinched, etc. Get a wiring diagram to help identify the circuits and items in question.

 

i cant find a diagram of my wiring. i traced the wires as best as i could. everything looks brand new. i have two 12awg and one 14 awg (i think) that come from the starter. the two bigger ones go into the cab. but the smaller one is the one that keeps blowing. where i lost track of the wire is inbehind the block, its such a pain to get back there. either the wire goes to a relay near the fuel pump relay, or it goes off into the ecm. anyone know which of these two the wire goes too. how do i see if my ecm is toast or test to see if the relay works. thanks alot.

 

Tyler. Get yourself a GM shop manual and an electrical supplement, it will have every wiring diagram you will ever need.

 

so i finally found my shorted wire. i have a wire that goes from the starter up the harness and than it follows the ecm harness half way down the firewall than heads out into this plug type thing beside a sensor bolted to the firewall than heads inside the car, i think, in with the heater hoses. the wire was rubbing against a ground strap bolted to the firewall. the piece of wire running from the short to the plug isnt in best of shape. the insulation is about 55% good condition. since i cant get the plug off to replace the wire, could i throw some loom on there to hold me down for abit? i plan on pulling the engine and painting the engine bay very soon anyway.

 

Tyler,

As long as you replace the fusible link section at the starter with a wire that is two sizes smaller than the primary wire it protects, you should be safe. If I understand your description correctly, the section that is grounding is behind the engine, and is not actually part of the fusible link, just the power feed. You should be able to replace that with the same size wire with no problems. I know the two connectors you are describing (just to the left of the HVAC blower?).

Not to dwell on it too much, but if you had performed a search for "fusible link", you probably would have found threads with photos and everything.

 

oh yes, the fusable link section of the wire is the least of my worries i was just curious about that wire that has abit of melted insulation. i was thinking of just placing some wire loom over that one wire to hold me down until i pull the engine. thanks to everyone who helped me out

 

I think my fusible link that runs the key off accessories went. I was thinking of replacing it with an inline fuse like they use on the stereos. Weather proof of course, but how do you figure out what amp would be needed? Thanks.