klowninc89
1/2 ton status
Not sure I want to try that....lol um any other options?
CK5
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dash gauges stop working because fuse pops
- Thread starter klowninc89
- Start date
OK, I've been following this discussion, curious as to what it was going to turn out to be.
I finally dug up a schematic and tried to figure out what could blow that fuse.
According to the schematic, which may be wrong, your problem may be a little closer to home than you have been looking.
The schematic says that that fuse is hooked to a pink/black wire.
That wire goes to a hot fuel module connector.
You may or may not have one of these, they were usually used on the heavy duty trucks.
But, most likely you have the wire for it. They tended to use the same wiring harness as much as possible.
From what I can tell, that module was usually located under and/or behind the glove box.
The pink/black wire goes from the fuse to that plug.
When it comes out of that plug, it becomes a tan/white wire.
That tan/white wire splits and goes from there to the fuel sending unit, and also to the oil pressure switch where it is tied into a gray wire.
You need to try to follow the pink/white wire from the fuse block to the glove box or wherever it turns into the tan/white.
If there is no short there, then check the tan/white to where it hooks up to the gray wire at the oil pressure switch.
You should find a short along there somewhere.
J.
I finally dug up a schematic and tried to figure out what could blow that fuse.
According to the schematic, which may be wrong, your problem may be a little closer to home than you have been looking.
The schematic says that that fuse is hooked to a pink/black wire.
That wire goes to a hot fuel module connector.
You may or may not have one of these, they were usually used on the heavy duty trucks.
But, most likely you have the wire for it. They tended to use the same wiring harness as much as possible.
From what I can tell, that module was usually located under and/or behind the glove box.
The pink/black wire goes from the fuse to that plug.
When it comes out of that plug, it becomes a tan/white wire.
That tan/white wire splits and goes from there to the fuel sending unit, and also to the oil pressure switch where it is tied into a gray wire.
You need to try to follow the pink/white wire from the fuse block to the glove box or wherever it turns into the tan/white.
If there is no short there, then check the tan/white to where it hooks up to the gray wire at the oil pressure switch.
You should find a short along there somewhere.
J.
klowninc89
1/2 ton status
I will do that j thanks for all the info man. By the way where dkid u find all that info? I will keep u posted, thanks matt
klowninc89
1/2 ton status
Ok I'm now upset. I tried to find those wires could not locate them, they are wraped up tight by black wrap. also can't even see the oil pressure sending unit. I also tried idle air control tps and temp sensor. I unpluged them and tried it popped everytime. I even took out whole gauge cluster and tried....still popped. I'm so pissed that I can't fined what's wrong. The only thing newer I put on it was a brake switch, my off road lights and starter. I don't understand. I really don't wabt to spend 200 dollars to locate then to fix. Any body have any idea what runs off that Gauge/Idle fuse? I new your guys help, you have been great please help me solve this issue. Thanks
AutoZone's website has schematics for your truck. I would post one here, but your not a member, so I don't think you can see it.
Go to the AutoZone website. Join it, costs nothing, put in your truck and you can get the schematic.
If you can't find it, let me know and I will go back and note what to click. Its a little obscure.
But, you will find, according to that, its what I said.
Pink/black to the hot fuel relay, then tan/white to the oil pressure switch and the fuel sending unit.
The only way you are going to find this is by getting down where it is. You need to think about where this wire goes, and consider anyplace it could get worn or pinched.
You will have to cut away CAREFULLY some of the tape to see the wire colors.
Then, follow the pink/black one. Cut back some at every branch to see if the wire went that way.
Find where it turns to a tan/white, and then follow it.
Its possible that if you don't have the relay, the wire might start out as a tan/white.
You need to find which color wire is hooked to that fuse for sure.
NOTE: In rereading my earlier post, I noticed I accidentally threw in a pink/white. Sorry about that, I was still talking about a pink/black.
Its got to go through the firewall somewhere, thats a good wear possibility.
If its not the oil pressure switch or harness, the next most likely place is between the fuse and the gas tank.
Thats a long run, and there are plenty of places for trouble.
Get a flashlight, get under, and trace the wires from the tank to the front.
Looking for any pinched wires along the way.
Try cutting the tan/white wire as far from the tank as you can.
If the short goes away, then the short is between there and the tank.
This short can be found, its just going to take time and patience.
J.
Go to the AutoZone website. Join it, costs nothing, put in your truck and you can get the schematic.
If you can't find it, let me know and I will go back and note what to click. Its a little obscure.
But, you will find, according to that, its what I said.
Pink/black to the hot fuel relay, then tan/white to the oil pressure switch and the fuel sending unit.
The only way you are going to find this is by getting down where it is. You need to think about where this wire goes, and consider anyplace it could get worn or pinched.
You will have to cut away CAREFULLY some of the tape to see the wire colors.
Then, follow the pink/black one. Cut back some at every branch to see if the wire went that way.
Find where it turns to a tan/white, and then follow it.
Its possible that if you don't have the relay, the wire might start out as a tan/white.
You need to find which color wire is hooked to that fuse for sure.
NOTE: In rereading my earlier post, I noticed I accidentally threw in a pink/white. Sorry about that, I was still talking about a pink/black.
Its got to go through the firewall somewhere, thats a good wear possibility.
If its not the oil pressure switch or harness, the next most likely place is between the fuse and the gas tank.
Thats a long run, and there are plenty of places for trouble.
Get a flashlight, get under, and trace the wires from the tank to the front.
Looking for any pinched wires along the way.
Try cutting the tan/white wire as far from the tank as you can.
If the short goes away, then the short is between there and the tank.
This short can be found, its just going to take time and patience.
J.
klowninc89
1/2 ton status
Ok I'm getting close when I shake the truck it pops the fuse, now with key on but truck not running pump comes on gauges work when I shake it fuse pops and pump cycles back on like I turned the key on. Is this the fuel pump and sending unit? I wiggled the wires to pump and tank did not pop. But when I shake truck it pops. Any ideas?
Yep, now we are getting somewhere.
I'm not sure how to get you to the next step. Mainly because it requires you building something.
Its fairly simple to build, but you need a little electrical experiance.
If you have some, or you know anybody who does, here is what we need.
We need to replace the fuse with a light bulb.
Probably a GE 57, or 1156. Any small 12 volt bulb will do.
The easiest way is to go across a dead fuse. Parts houses have little brass pieces that let you tap into a fuse in a block.
If it is a glass cartridge fuse, it is curved and goes around the end of the fuse to give you a spade connection.
The blade type fuses work the same way.
You need to pick up a bulb and socket and two of the taps.
Using a dead fuse, you should have plenty by now, hook the bulb across the fuse.
You can probably find the bulb and socket at a junkyard. You just need a socket that has a ground wire and a hot wire.
If you cannot find the adapters for the fuse, you can carefully shove the bare wire down next to the fuse on each end.
Turn the key on, and watch the bulb. When it is dim, all is well, when you shake the truck, it should get brighter. That means it is shorted.
Watching the bulb, get a stick and gently move or tap different parts of the wire harness until you get it to go between bright and dim.
Once you get it to do it once, move smaller and smaller parts as you work your way in to where the short is.
You have a bare wire touching ground somewhere, and this is the best way to find it.
You won't have to keep buying fuses.
When you find a place that makes the light change every-time you move it, just grab a flashlight and start unwrapping or disassembling things until you find it.
I would use the little bulb if you can see it ok, If you use a big one, like an 1156, I would turn things off every few minutes just in case.
The bigger the bulb, the more current it will let through, and its not good for a fuel pump to sit there trying to run on low current.
The small bulb will not let enough current through for it to even try.
J.
I'm not sure how to get you to the next step. Mainly because it requires you building something.
Its fairly simple to build, but you need a little electrical experiance.
If you have some, or you know anybody who does, here is what we need.
We need to replace the fuse with a light bulb.
Probably a GE 57, or 1156. Any small 12 volt bulb will do.
The easiest way is to go across a dead fuse. Parts houses have little brass pieces that let you tap into a fuse in a block.
If it is a glass cartridge fuse, it is curved and goes around the end of the fuse to give you a spade connection.
The blade type fuses work the same way.
You need to pick up a bulb and socket and two of the taps.
Using a dead fuse, you should have plenty by now, hook the bulb across the fuse.
You can probably find the bulb and socket at a junkyard. You just need a socket that has a ground wire and a hot wire.
If you cannot find the adapters for the fuse, you can carefully shove the bare wire down next to the fuse on each end.
Turn the key on, and watch the bulb. When it is dim, all is well, when you shake the truck, it should get brighter. That means it is shorted.
Watching the bulb, get a stick and gently move or tap different parts of the wire harness until you get it to go between bright and dim.
Once you get it to do it once, move smaller and smaller parts as you work your way in to where the short is.
You have a bare wire touching ground somewhere, and this is the best way to find it.
You won't have to keep buying fuses.
When you find a place that makes the light change every-time you move it, just grab a flashlight and start unwrapping or disassembling things until you find it.
I would use the little bulb if you can see it ok, If you use a big one, like an 1156, I would turn things off every few minutes just in case.
The bigger the bulb, the more current it will let through, and its not good for a fuel pump to sit there trying to run on low current.
The small bulb will not let enough current through for it to even try.
J.
klowninc89
1/2 ton status
Fyi.....while key is on, I wiggled all the wires to fuel tank and underhood and in cab nothing happened. Its only when I shake it, I don't know y there has to be a easy way to fix this. Maybe the sending unit or pump is shorting out?
klowninc89
1/2 ton status
Ok that's it I have no idea what's wrong now the battery is drained to the point I will not start. Wtf,I ran last time I drove it without dash and ran like a champ like it always does went to move it and got one urn out of the starter. Any other ideas?
Not sure about yours, but it seems to me that some of these trucks have to have a dash in for the alternator to work.
You need to charge the battery up, or swap in a good one, and check for a load.
With a good hot battery, a test light between the negative post and the disconnected negative cable with everything turned off, should either not light at all, or barely light if you have something that pull a small load.
If you get a bright light, start pulling fuses until it goes off. That will tell you which circuit is killing the battery.
Also, if you have a voltmeter, with the battery hooked up and charged, you should see about 14.5 volts or around that when the engine is running.
If its around 12, then the alternator is not charging.
As far as the original short, you need to rig up that light across the fuse, and if wiggling the wires does not cause it to light, then wiggle the truck until you see it light, and then gently wiggle different parts until you narrow down what makes it light.
I'm guessing that you have a wire pinched between two body parts, or a chafed one right next to a body part, and when you shake the body, it shorts.
J.
You need to charge the battery up, or swap in a good one, and check for a load.
With a good hot battery, a test light between the negative post and the disconnected negative cable with everything turned off, should either not light at all, or barely light if you have something that pull a small load.
If you get a bright light, start pulling fuses until it goes off. That will tell you which circuit is killing the battery.
Also, if you have a voltmeter, with the battery hooked up and charged, you should see about 14.5 volts or around that when the engine is running.
If its around 12, then the alternator is not charging.
As far as the original short, you need to rig up that light across the fuse, and if wiggling the wires does not cause it to light, then wiggle the truck until you see it light, and then gently wiggle different parts until you narrow down what makes it light.
I'm guessing that you have a wire pinched between two body parts, or a chafed one right next to a body part, and when you shake the body, it shorts.
J.
klowninc89
1/2 ton status
Well still having problems I hit the gas the fuse pops, I changed it then hit gas again and the volt meter goes down? I have no idea, but it makes the idle goes down when I put now fuse and I heae the alt start to charge battery. Any other ideas?
Does it blow the fuse if you turn on the key, do not crank the engine, and then hit the gas?
If so, then a wire is shorting out to the throttle linkage somewhere.
The wire going to the sending unit on the engine has to be pinched, or chafing somewhere.
The only way you are going to find it, is to build the little test light so you can tell when the short occurs, and then do things to make it short out.
When the light gets bright and dim, you just do smaller and smaller things until you narrow down the location.
I really suspect that the problem is right behind the engine between the engine and the firewall.
That is where the switch is, plus you have wiggled the pump wires going back with no results.
Take the air cleaner off, get a bright light, and look that whole area over carefully.
If you see any wires back there, have the key on, and either a new fuse or the test light in place of the fuse, and poke them with a broomhandle.
Sooner or later, you are going to move something and the short will occur. Then, all you have to do is look there and see what wire is bare.
J.
If so, then a wire is shorting out to the throttle linkage somewhere.
The wire going to the sending unit on the engine has to be pinched, or chafing somewhere.
The only way you are going to find it, is to build the little test light so you can tell when the short occurs, and then do things to make it short out.
When the light gets bright and dim, you just do smaller and smaller things until you narrow down the location.
I really suspect that the problem is right behind the engine between the engine and the firewall.
That is where the switch is, plus you have wiggled the pump wires going back with no results.
Take the air cleaner off, get a bright light, and look that whole area over carefully.
If you see any wires back there, have the key on, and either a new fuse or the test light in place of the fuse, and poke them with a broomhandle.
Sooner or later, you are going to move something and the short will occur. Then, all you have to do is look there and see what wire is bare.
J.
quinryan
Registered Member
Remember that the guage panel works from a primtive printed circuit board behind the dashboard. It was fragile when your truck left the plant and time and use hasn't beefed it up any.
If any of the circuit patterns have come lose or scratched or suffered any of a number of things that can go wrong here, shorting is possible.
If any of the circuit patterns have come lose or scratched or suffered any of a number of things that can go wrong here, shorting is possible.
klowninc89
1/2 ton status
Here is how it goes down, I start the truck with new fuse it blew. I put new one back in gauges worked but when I hit the gas fuse blew, so again I put new one in gauges worked and when I hit the gas the volt dropped under normal range for my truck but fuse did not pop. But also the truck battery has been going dead to had to jump it twice yesterday just to move it around. I also noticed when I changed the fuse while running the idle changed and sounded like it started to charge the battery. So I left it running for 10 min before I shut it down lastnight. I will see if battery is dead when I come home from work at 9am. I just don't know why the volts would drop from hitting the gas.
klowninc89
1/2 ton status
Well that fuse in the box melted but did not pop....fuse box started to smoke real bad...not sure if it was from the fuse or the box. I'm at my wits end what do I do? I unpluged fuel pump and sending unit...still pops. Unpluged idle air control still pops. Unpluged whole dash fuse still pops. Now fuse did not pop but almost cause a fire. Wtf? What to do now?
Dude, I don't know of any better way to tell you.
You are going to have to build one of those test lights to replace the fuse with.
You have an intermittent problem, and you are looking for it in about the worst possible way.
You put in a new fuse, it holds, so you start looking for the problem.
You do something, shake the truck, wiggle a harness, anything, and the fuse blows.
Thats it, trouble shooting is now over.
The fuse is blown, nothing else you do will tell you anything.
Wiggle wires, shake the truck, nothing, the fuse is blown, thats all that can happen.
I suppose you could buy a hundred fuses and hire a guy to replace them as they blow while you move things until you find it, but the test light is so much simpler.
What you have got to do, is put a small 12 volt light across the fuse holder in place of the fuse. Then, when the short occurs, the light will get brighter, but the system will still have power.
Then, you just do more and more shaking, moving, whatever, while watching the light.
Eventually, you will narrow down what you have to do to make the light get bright.
That way you will zero in on the problem.
As for the fuse melting the box, you either had the wrong size fuse, or you have replaced so many that the little clips that hold it in have gotten weak and are no longer making good contact.
You are going to have to build one of those test lights to replace the fuse with.
You have an intermittent problem, and you are looking for it in about the worst possible way.
You put in a new fuse, it holds, so you start looking for the problem.
You do something, shake the truck, wiggle a harness, anything, and the fuse blows.
Thats it, trouble shooting is now over.
The fuse is blown, nothing else you do will tell you anything.
Wiggle wires, shake the truck, nothing, the fuse is blown, thats all that can happen.
I suppose you could buy a hundred fuses and hire a guy to replace them as they blow while you move things until you find it, but the test light is so much simpler.
What you have got to do, is put a small 12 volt light across the fuse holder in place of the fuse. Then, when the short occurs, the light will get brighter, but the system will still have power.
Then, you just do more and more shaking, moving, whatever, while watching the light.
Eventually, you will narrow down what you have to do to make the light get bright.
That way you will zero in on the problem.
As for the fuse melting the box, you either had the wrong size fuse, or you have replaced so many that the little clips that hold it in have gotten weak and are no longer making good contact.
klowninc89
1/2 ton status
Ok the fuse was right size. I was in reverse. Can I use a reg test light? I just don't want to do any damage to the truck. I'm just so ****in tired of this problem. Should I just take it to the shop?
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
Well, like i mentioned in a previous post, when the gauge isn't working, the alternator isn't being charged, you had a freshly charged battery, and the truck will run fine for awhile until it dies out below what the computer needs for it to run.
Now your problem, in my opinion, is going to be a wire shorted, flat out somewhere, you haven't looked, or missed it. I told you earlier that mine has this same problem, and i believe mine to be behind the motor somewhere, and luckily i have moved my harness around enough to where it doesn't short out, popping my fuse, hasn't for a few months now at least.
I know it's still a problem i will need to address, but until mine starts acting up, not gonna worry about it.
You're going to have to seriously start tearing apart the wire looms on the engine area, and especially behind the engine area. I recently had to repair a wire on a friends Suburban for a similar issue, it had rubbed through and was causing a different sort of issue.
get back behind the motor, grab the damn harness, move it around pretty good, and then replace the fuse, if it pops, move the harness some more in different areas till it DOESN'T pop. When you hit the gas and the fuse pops, it's because the motor moved, grounding out the bare wire.
BTW, removal of the hood makes for a MUCH easier access to all the wiring under the hood, and most of it behind the motor block.
Now your problem, in my opinion, is going to be a wire shorted, flat out somewhere, you haven't looked, or missed it. I told you earlier that mine has this same problem, and i believe mine to be behind the motor somewhere, and luckily i have moved my harness around enough to where it doesn't short out, popping my fuse, hasn't for a few months now at least.
I know it's still a problem i will need to address, but until mine starts acting up, not gonna worry about it.
You're going to have to seriously start tearing apart the wire looms on the engine area, and especially behind the engine area. I recently had to repair a wire on a friends Suburban for a similar issue, it had rubbed through and was causing a different sort of issue.
get back behind the motor, grab the damn harness, move it around pretty good, and then replace the fuse, if it pops, move the harness some more in different areas till it DOESN'T pop. When you hit the gas and the fuse pops, it's because the motor moved, grounding out the bare wire.
BTW, removal of the hood makes for a MUCH easier access to all the wiring under the hood, and most of it behind the motor block.
You could probably make a test light work.
What you want to do, is put a small 12v light bulb where the fuse is now.
One wire to one side of the fuse holder, the other wire to the other side.
Make them long enough so that you can put the bulb where you can see it.
Your truck will not run properly on the bulb, it is just for test purposes.
Now, when you shake the truck, or whatever, instead of the fuse blowing, the bulb will get brighter.
That means the short is now shorted. Keep moving stuff until it goes dim or out.
Now the short is gone.
Just keep moving stuff, causing the bulb to go bright and dim, until you find what it is that does that.
That will be where the short is.
I suspect it is behind the engine in the wires going to the oil sending unit, but I'm not sure.
Once you get the bulb hooked up, you can reach back there with a broomstick or something and move things around until you find the short.
If it is back there, you might get lucky and be able to reach it under the dash if it is a short where it goes through the firewall.
What you want to do, is put a small 12v light bulb where the fuse is now.
One wire to one side of the fuse holder, the other wire to the other side.
Make them long enough so that you can put the bulb where you can see it.
Your truck will not run properly on the bulb, it is just for test purposes.
Now, when you shake the truck, or whatever, instead of the fuse blowing, the bulb will get brighter.
That means the short is now shorted. Keep moving stuff until it goes dim or out.
Now the short is gone.
Just keep moving stuff, causing the bulb to go bright and dim, until you find what it is that does that.
That will be where the short is.
I suspect it is behind the engine in the wires going to the oil sending unit, but I'm not sure.
Once you get the bulb hooked up, you can reach back there with a broomstick or something and move things around until you find the short.
If it is back there, you might get lucky and be able to reach it under the dash if it is a short where it goes through the firewall.
klowninc89
1/2 ton status
Ok there are only a couple of things on that fuse half of them for a diesel. One is called a hot fuel module. What and where is that? Idle air control, fuel pump relay and oil pressure sending unit....but what is draining the battery when its charged, when it does not have the fuse in???? I'm lost.
