blowing fuses

[Pookapotamus]

twice in the last two days i have blown the big 40 amp spade fuse in the engine compartment that provides power to the fuse block inside my jeep. both times i was turning left, today i was pulling a uturn (leagaly in the parking lot of taco time  the day before it was a very shallow left turn.

any one have this problem?

nothing has changed on my jeep for a couple of weeks so i am not sure why this is shorting out, possibly wire chafing some where?

any one have any ideas where to start looking ?

[Pookapotamus]

i cant see it being the steering column as the fuse that is blowing is the one supplying power to the fuse block inside the jeep. the jeep stays running but i loose things like radio and dome lights. all fuses are good at the block inside i just lose power to them all. so by my way of thinking the problem should be somewhere between the two fuse blocks. now i have removed the carpets and relocated the wiring that was laying on the floor by the drivers door to under the dash so i guess thats my first place to look. also my winch wireing is run by the fuse block under the hood so i will have to check there as well. but these were both done quite a while ago so one of the wires must have chafed through.

either that or when i fixed speciak's starter issue his gremlin jumped into my ride.

[mike s]

The problem has to be between the two fuse boxes, turn up the radio and pull on the harness in various places untill radio quits, the check that area more closely, see if you can get a circut breaker to install while testing, saves on fuses

[Pookapotamus]

good idea mike! i was just going to hunt around till i found a frayed or chafed wire

[w squared]

either that or when i fixed speciak's starter issue his gremlin jumped into my ride.

Jumped? Nope. That's not what happened. Noel ran out of badgers, so he lured Kev's gremlin into your rig by hiding a bottle of rye next to your manifold. This smells better than a badger, but it'll take you longer to get rid of. 

[Pookapotamus]

ok this really sucks! i jiggled and twisted every wire i could find, even redid underneath the dash where it was a rets nest of wire and could not get it to fail again!! so i cant find the fricken short!!

i definately inherited kevins gremlin!!!! you owe me buddy!!

[mike s]

Okay when I'm really stuck trying to find a short I jump the fuse space
with heavy wire while looking, smelling for smoke. Last ditch effort and to be used with caution.

[dac]

Okay when I'm really stuck trying to find a short I jump the fuse space
with heavy wire while looking, smelling for smoke. Last ditch effort and to be used with caution.

bad idea

disconnect the battery and use an ohm meter to find a short to ground.

[morerpmfred]

Do your headlights have the upgraded wiring harness and does it take power from the power port on the fuse box under the hood? I had a relay short out cause it was laying on it,s side. stood it up and it newer shorted out again. The relay was also wired as per directions on the naxja board and i rewired it differently as well. Is you day time running lights relay removed and a wire plugged in the port so your highbeam light indicator works?

[Pookapotamus]

i dont think i am explaining this correctly. the fuse is back in and i cant get it to short out again so i cant figure out where the short was. every thing is fine now but i think it will short out again. its just frustrating and i will have to keep a close eye on it. at least is does not incapacitate the jeep when it shorts i just lose my accessories inside the jeep ie, power windows, door locks, dome light, radio etc.

so what i am saying is the jeep workes toaly fine and all of a sudden the fuse pops, and i cant link the two instances of the fuse poping except for turning left. oh well i am sure i will figure this gremlin out in time.

[Pookapotamus]

update:

so i have filled in another peice to this puzzle. i put a 60A fuse in place of the 40 and have not burned it out yet but have notices a flicker in the electrical system when i turn left with the brakes on.  now i have been having problems with my brake light comming on during hard braking and have just chalked it up to having air in a line. i have antilock brakes and they still work, the pedal is not spongy or anything but on a moderately hard brake the light comes on and only goes out if i pump the brakes again. i am bleeding the whole system this sat and changing all the fluid.but i dont see the connection between this and my fuse problem.

does anyone see what i am missing??

[dac]

Why would having air in a brake line cause a fuse to blow?  Sounds like your brakes are working so unless you want to change the fluid for other reasons...

I'd suspect a short in a wiring bundle, or if the brake light only comes on during hard braking look into that circuit.

Do you have a manual for it complete with wiring diagrams?  Also it might be a good idea to get a cheap multi-meter to ohm things out (with the battery disconnected).

[Pookapotamus]

well yes the brakes are working but when i step on the brake and turn left i blow the 40A fuse for the fuse block inside the cab. it makes no sense to me either, yes i have the manual and an ohm meter and plan to spen a couple of hours with it this weekend trying to figure this out. just looking for pointers.

[dac]

well yes the brakes are working but when i step on the brake and turn left i blow the 40A fuse for the fuse block inside the cab. it makes no sense to me either, yes i have the manual and an ohm meter and plan to spen a couple of hours with it this weekend trying to figure this out. just looking for pointers.

Dumb question Dana, but does it seem to matter how fast you're going?  there shouldn't be much that moves when you turn left but the contacts and maybe shifting of wiring in the column or along the body is culprit?  The other thing to check out would be the wiring for the left signal light and the brake light.  Take a look in the sockets, maybe there is some corrosion at the bulb?

D

[Pookapotamus]

its done it when i have barely been moving, i cant see it being in the signals as they still work fine when that fuse is blown. and it even happens on a very shallow left turn, and without signals. i will have to check to see if i still have brake lights when that fuse blows but i think i do. which still does not make sense. how are these two instances connected, turning left and having the brakes on? it has to be wire chafing some where me thinks.