Electrical Short

[boostyGST]

I have a short on my wiring going to the tail light fuse in the engine bay..... just starting popping fuses other day and now it will not even allow the lights to flicker before the fuse is gone.

I know for a fact that all other fuses are good to go, however my gauge cluster will not illuminate along with my tail lights and parking lights. However everything else on the gauges is working correctly ...... ie instruments and door ajar light and gas light, etc.

What wire has been known to short out....... where is the most likely place that a wire will short on that circut on a dsm

BASICALLY, WHERE DO I LOOK FOR THE SHORT OR WHAT IS THE BEST METHOD OF FINDING THE SHORT.

THKS

 

[luv2rallye]

To find a short, first disconnect the obvious devices (eg. taillights if blowing taillight fuse) to see if fuse still blows. Also try disconnecting everything that is or may be on that fuse’s circuit or anything suspicious or recently worked on that’s electrical. Disconnect anything electrical that doesn’t work. Examine the wiring and connectors on the things you disconnect to see if they are frayed, broken, melted, wet, or touching other wires or metal. 95% of the time you will find the short this way (which is also the quickest).

If it still blows you will have to use a tougher technique. Replace the fuse that blows (temporarily and only for testing purposes) with an actual small 12 volt light bulb like a automotive tester light, marker light, or license plate light (don't try to start the engine with it in). The bulb will limit the current so you now don’t have to worry about any short melting the wires. If you don’t have a tester light you may have to solder wires on a bulb or put a bulb in a socket with wires. Then insert the wires into the slots where the fuse was. If there is a short, it will lite brightly (no short may lite it half bright along with a device doing the other half, or it may not lite at all). Then start disconnecting one at a time (1) things that don’t work, (2) suspected things, and (3) anything on that circuit. When you disconnect the item that is causing the short, the light will go out (so it's a great detection device). Keep in mind the short may be in the wiring or fusebox which is harder to find, but first check all the easier, more obvious devices and places.

Here is also a helpful link: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54846