Blowing fuses
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Joined: Dec 2013
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Blowing fuses
Im not sure if I'm in the right place to ask for help for this prob but I'm gonna do it anyway. I have an 88 f150 and the turn signals keep blowing fuses. They work fine for a day or so then pop. I'm sure I have a short to ground somewhere, but not sure where to start looking. Hoping that someone on here has had similar prob and can gimme a tip on some spots that may be more apt to cause this type of issue. Any help would be appreciated.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,670
Likes: 13
From: Sand Lake, MI
First place I always suspect when turn/stop/tail lights issues are involved on a truck is trailer lighting pigtail.
Some guys can and will do anything and everything to add lighting for trailers on a truck and a lot of it not good. tap into harness with little tape and in some cases done so in more than a single location not route where its protected from damage etc.
Some guys can and will do anything and everything to add lighting for trailers on a truck and a lot of it not good. tap into harness with little tape and in some cases done so in more than a single location not route where its protected from damage etc.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 871
Likes: 6
From: Orcas Island, WA
Or, as I fixed on a buddy's Jeep, and old unused trailer plug-in with a broken wire that was bouncing on the frame.
Intermittents are a bear to fix. Especially if you have to keep through in fuses into it. One tool to help is a resettable circuit breaker that plugs in where the fuse goes. Here is an example:
ATO / ATC Low Profile Circuit Breakers
Perhaps your local parts store carries them, or can order it, instead of paying the shipping for a $3.50 part. Get the proper sized breaker. The last thing you want to do is complicate the problem by melting down your wiring harness. Actually, that would solve the problem because then you'd know where the short was.
Once you have one, work methodically through the wiring related to the turn signals, including the steering column. Shift the wires, move the bundles around, etc., until you pop the circuit breaker. It make take repeated attempts until you find the bad spot. The prime spots are anywhere the wiring bends around part of the chassis or other metal component, or where it passes through a bushing. But be methodical. Haphazard troubleshooting usually results in poor results.
Intermittents are a bear to fix. Especially if you have to keep through in fuses into it. One tool to help is a resettable circuit breaker that plugs in where the fuse goes. Here is an example:
ATO / ATC Low Profile Circuit Breakers
Perhaps your local parts store carries them, or can order it, instead of paying the shipping for a $3.50 part. Get the proper sized breaker. The last thing you want to do is complicate the problem by melting down your wiring harness. Actually, that would solve the problem because then you'd know where the short was.
Once you have one, work methodically through the wiring related to the turn signals, including the steering column. Shift the wires, move the bundles around, etc., until you pop the circuit breaker. It make take repeated attempts until you find the bad spot. The prime spots are anywhere the wiring bends around part of the chassis or other metal component, or where it passes through a bushing. But be methodical. Haphazard troubleshooting usually results in poor results.
Tuned
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 408
Likes: 1
From: Yucca, AZ
May I suggest a little trick I've used for many years when trying to trace a short?
Remember the nature of a short is resistance.....resistance builds heat. So much so that at the circuits weakest point (a fuse or circuit breaker hopefully) it blows. Grab a digital laser thermometer. This is especially handy when the suspect short is bundled in a harness with other wires. An open circuit on the other hand is a whole 'nother can O worms. Happy Hunting!
Capt'n
Remember the nature of a short is resistance.....resistance builds heat. So much so that at the circuits weakest point (a fuse or circuit breaker hopefully) it blows. Grab a digital laser thermometer. This is especially handy when the suspect short is bundled in a harness with other wires. An open circuit on the other hand is a whole 'nother can O worms. Happy Hunting!
Capt'n
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,877
Likes: 49
From: Tennessee
I would be looking at trailer plug wiring first also . I lost count of all the problems I have seen from trailer plugs . Lots that people did not even know they had ! Rodents and canines love to chew on wires . See it a lot .
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