Main Power Fuse Keeps Blowing

[GPModJ]

The other day I was starting the car and it quit just as the engine started to fire. I heard a click and from then on it wouldn't fire. The starter would turn the engine but no spark.

I checked the fuses and the 25A main power fuse had gone. I knew the wiring to the starter wasn't all that great so I popped the starter and, sure enough (so I thought), a couple of the wires were cracked and copper showed.

I didn't have any new wire so I thoroughly wrapped the wires with electrical tape as a temporary fix. However, same problem. The main power fuse keeps burning out whether the key is turned on or not.

Where should I be looking for shorts? I'm not electrically adept so no explanation is too basic for me.

BTW, could the problem be a short in the starter itself. It's a new one--an IMI mini starter that I installed with the engine about 1,200 miles ago. It is pretty close to one of the header primaries so I was thinking maybe the heat has screwed something up.

Some added info...

When I tried to start the car, it fires but won't keep running. I guess that means it's getting spark when cranking but not when the ignition is in the "run' position.

Any thoughts?

[THOR]

Bummer GP Mod!
Shoot, we all hate electrical probs.
I used to have probs of various types w/ the Judge's electrical system that would leave the beast flat out dead. Once, it was the coil wires which turned out to have worn insulation, causing a short, the other time it was a starter wire. I ended up doing a whole new underhood wiring harness and it hasn't come back to bite me ever since. When I looked at the condition of the various wires on the old harness really really carefully, I concluded that it was darn near a miracle that the car even ran !
Good luck on the pesky problem and let us know how it turns out :wink:

[GPModJ]

This turned out to be such a dumb gearhead story I'm not so sure I wanna share it. :oops:

Here goes.

As stated in my previous post, I thought I heard a click and then it wouldn't fire. When I went to work on it again, I thought I'd jump in and see if it fired. You know--sometimes that happens.

Anyway, it almost did--but it wouldn't stay running. I thought maybe it had something to do with having the ignition key on the start position. It seemed as though when I clicked off the start position the car died.

So, I wrapped the starter wires in electrical tape but no joy.

I then thought I'd see what accessories run with the key on the run position. Everything seemed to work but as I was looking under the hood I saw that I didn't have any fuel pressure. So, off to the gas station for some fuel and "bingo-bango" it fired and ran. Idiot, I was out of gas!

I still have a fuse that I need to track down but I'm going to go through the schematics in the '69 manual I have to see if I can see where it might be shorting out. If all else fails, I might stick a wire in there and see where smoke comes out. :)

[THOR]

Glad to hear that it was an easy fix :roll:

Isn't it amazing how easy it is to run outta gas with a SD performance motor? :roll: I constantly need to remind myself.. with these words..."SELF, GOTTA GET FUEL" :evil:

I've run outta gas once in my rig while on the road but have also come close to running out more times than I care to admit....I'm just not used to a machine that consumes so much fuel :wink:

[Brandon]

Which fuse is blowing out now? Not the main 25A one? When does it blow - as soon as you turn on the key?

[GPModJ]

Yes, it was a 25A fuse. However, my thinking was "stick a solid wire in there and see where smoke comes out." So I stuck a wire in there and now the fuse doesn't blow anymore--but my water temp guage doesn't work anymore.

So, I'll be looking at the schematics to try and fix that over the next while.