Blowin A fuse - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

ToonMan · 01-20-2004, 02:00 PM

My 78 Chevy Short Fleetside keeps Blowing the Taillight/ Instrument light fuse. Do any of you know of a weak spot in our trucks that I can look for a short, or is it Check everything!!!!
Thanks!!!!!!
Rob

Frank-id · 01-20-2004, 03:33 PM

There are no weak spots in the electrical systems. It is very difficult to trouble/guess from a long distance with very little info.
Just a quick guess. Pull the mat and step plate off at the drivers door sill. There is a
part of a wiring harness that goes to rear electrical. Check for any wires that maybe abraided and wire covering is lost. Disconnect wiring connection and check if fuse still trips. I use a auto reset circuit breaker to find short so many fuses are not wasted in the fault finding process.
GM pickups uaually have 4 circuits to the rear. Those circuits are left and right turn, tail lites and backup lites. Next action to find short is to remove each lite bulb and check sockets for damage, rust or corrosion. With no power to lites, each socket should be cleaned with socket wire bruch and spray brake cleaner. After sockets are dry and clean, sockets and lamps[bulbs] need to be coated with dielectric grease and reinstalled. Replace lite lens after repair. If the short is still present, send more info.. Frank

**old Rusty C10** · 01-20-2004, 07:44 PM

make sure that the tail light wires along the frame arent bein crushed by the clips

ToonMan · 01-20-2004, 08:20 PM

All Right guys, I will give your Idea's a try!!!!!!!!
Thanks!!!!

shavedchevy · 01-20-2004, 08:22 PM

sometimes the tailight wire become fraid and very brittle at the back of the box beacuss of excessive moisture and general wear and tear of gravel.. thats what happened to me... don't get your wires confused if you slpice them back together.

*1972C10* · 01-20-2004, 10:59 PM

Possibly a messed up trailer connection that has been disabled and is now touching metal .

clipity · 01-21-2004, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 1972C10
Possibly a messed up trailer connection that has been disabled and is now touching metal .

Yea Ive been there before blew the fuse's for the brake lights and the turn signals.

*1972C10* · 01-21-2004, 03:42 AM

yeah tell me about it ive seen so many trucks wireing harness butchered where someone put in a trailer connecton then took it out then added another etc.

If at all possible i like them plug in jobbers that dont require splcing wires.

Those blue things that you sqeeze with plyers are ok for awhile but personally i solder all my connections then cover it with heat shrink be suprised what one bare wire left neked from tape comin off can do

ToonMan · 01-21-2004, 04:19 AM

The problem started right after we had a heavy snow and i had to drive my poor lowered truck out in it!!! I do have a trailer light plug that does have "Those blue things that you sqeeze with plyers"
I will check them!!!!

Thanks Guys!!!!!!!

ToonMan · 01-23-2004, 11:12 PM

I found the problem and fixed it!!!!!!!!!!! When I tried to get out in the snow, I ripped a wire off of my custom running lights mounted under the front bumper, and the powered half was sitting on the inside of the bumper~~~~~~~~!!! i knew it had to be something stupid~~!!!!!!
Thanks for the advise guys!!!!

ToonMan · 01-26-2004, 01:46 AM

That was it!!!!!!! So Far I still have Tail lights!!!!!!!!!!

apstguy · 01-26-2004, 02:24 AM

Cool!

ToonMan · 01-28-2004, 01:49 AM

Tyler,
I like your Lights!!!!!!!!!!!! Your Pic is BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!!!!!

Mike76251 · 01-28-2004, 09:16 AM

Thanks for the update!
Snow can cause much grief.

Blue Beard · 01-28-2004, 09:27 AM

These guys have you headed in the right direction..........Most of the dash lights are related to the rear half of the truck.....

When you find the culprit be sure to post on it.....will help someone else sometime....

01-20-2004, 02:00 PM	#1
ToonMan Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 575	Blowin A fuse My 78 Chevy Short Fleetside keeps Blowing the Taillight/ Instrument light fuse. Do any of you know of a weak spot in our trucks that I can look for a short, or is it Check everything!!!! Thanks!!!!!! Rob __________________ Rob the ToonMan 56 Chevy Cameo----Custom, [Turquoise] 67 Chevy C10 Short Fleetside (Black & White) 63 Trailorboat-------Teardrop Style Trailer 69 Honda CM90

01-20-2004, 03:33 PM	#2
Frank-id Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Twin Falls, Idaho Posts: 73	Finding a short to ground There are no weak spots in the electrical systems. It is very difficult to trouble/guess from a long distance with very little info. Just a quick guess. Pull the mat and step plate off at the drivers door sill. There is a part of a wiring harness that goes to rear electrical. Check for any wires that maybe abraided and wire covering is lost. Disconnect wiring connection and check if fuse still trips. I use a auto reset circuit breaker to find short so many fuses are not wasted in the fault finding process. GM pickups uaually have 4 circuits to the rear. Those circuits are left and right turn, tail lites and backup lites. Next action to find short is to remove each lite bulb and check sockets for damage, rust or corrosion. With no power to lites, each socket should be cleaned with socket wire bruch and spray brake cleaner. After sockets are dry and clean, sockets and lamps[bulbs] need to be coated with dielectric grease and reinstalled. Replace lite lens after repair. If the short is still present, send more info.. Frank Attached Images __________________ Chevy stepper 400sb 350 turbo Last edited by Frank-id; 01-20-2004 at 08:17 PM.

01-20-2004, 07:44 PM	#3
old Rusty C10 Robert Olson Transport Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: recent transplant to NC USA Posts: 20,281	make sure that the tail light wires along the frame arent bein crushed by the clips __________________ Bob 1951 International running on a squarebody chassis "If a man's worth is judged by the people he associates himself with, then i am the richest man in the world knowing some of the fine people of this board" http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...t.php?f=25&a=9 (you can review the site rules here!) PM Me for your vehicle/parts hauling needs in the North East US or see my Facebook page Robert Olson Transport Live each day to the fullest.. you never know when fate is going to pull the rug out from under you... I hate cancer!!

01-20-2004, 08:20 PM	#4
ToonMan Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 575	All Right guys, I will give your Idea's a try!!!!!!!! Thanks!!!! __________________ Rob the ToonMan 56 Chevy Cameo----Custom, [Turquoise] 67 Chevy C10 Short Fleetside (Black & White) 63 Trailorboat-------Teardrop Style Trailer 69 Honda CM90

01-20-2004, 08:22 PM	#5
shavedchevy Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 315	sometimes the tailight wire become fraid and very brittle at the back of the box beacuss of excessive moisture and general wear and tear of gravel.. thats what happened to me... don't get your wires confused if you slpice them back together. __________________ Dennis

01-20-2004, 10:59 PM	#6
1972C10 Account Suspended Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 2,686	Possibly a messed up trailer connection that has been disabled and is now touching metal .

01-21-2004, 03:42 AM	#8
1972C10 Account Suspended Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 2,686	yeah tell me about it ive seen so many trucks wireing harness butchered where someone put in a trailer connecton then took it out then added another etc. If at all possible i like them plug in jobbers that dont require splcing wires. Those blue things that you sqeeze with plyers are ok for awhile but personally i solder all my connections then cover it with heat shrink be suprised what one bare wire left neked from tape comin off can do

01-21-2004, 04:19 AM	#9
ToonMan Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 575	The problem started right after we had a heavy snow and i had to drive my poor lowered truck out in it!!! I do have a trailer light plug that does have "Those blue things that you sqeeze with plyers" I will check them!!!! Thanks Guys!!!!!!! __________________ Rob the ToonMan 56 Chevy Cameo----Custom, [Turquoise] 67 Chevy C10 Short Fleetside (Black & White) 63 Trailorboat-------Teardrop Style Trailer 69 Honda CM90

01-23-2004, 11:12 PM	#10
ToonMan Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 575	I found the problem and fixed it!!!!!!!!!!! When I tried to get out in the snow, I ripped a wire off of my custom running lights mounted under the front bumper, and the powered half was sitting on the inside of the bumper~~~~~~~~!!! i knew it had to be something stupid~~!!!!!! Thanks for the advise guys!!!! __________________ Rob the ToonMan 56 Chevy Cameo----Custom, [Turquoise] 67 Chevy C10 Short Fleetside (Black & White) 63 Trailorboat-------Teardrop Style Trailer 69 Honda CM90

01-26-2004, 01:46 AM	#11
ToonMan Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 575	That was it!!!!!!! So Far I still have Tail lights!!!!!!!!!! __________________ Rob the ToonMan 56 Chevy Cameo----Custom, [Turquoise] 67 Chevy C10 Short Fleetside (Black & White) 63 Trailorboat-------Teardrop Style Trailer 69 Honda CM90

01-26-2004, 02:24 AM	#12
apstguy LED King Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,088	Cool! __________________ Tyler 1985 C10 305 w/ Bowtie OD TH700R4 3.42 LSD 202,000 miles 2006 Ford Focus ZX3 5-speed Stick 2016 Chevy Spark EV Gone: 2002.5 VW GTI 24v VR6 Gone: 2008 VW R32

01-28-2004, 01:49 AM	#13
ToonMan Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 575	Tyler, I like your Lights!!!!!!!!!!!! Your Pic is BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!!!!! __________________ Rob the ToonMan 56 Chevy Cameo----Custom, [Turquoise] 67 Chevy C10 Short Fleetside (Black & White) 63 Trailorboat-------Teardrop Style Trailer 69 Honda CM90

01-28-2004, 09:16 AM	#14
Mike76251 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,500	Thanks for the update! Snow can cause much grief.

01-28-2004, 09:27 AM	#15
Blue Beard Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Washington State Posts: 8,834	These guys have you headed in the right direction..........Most of the dash lights are related to the rear half of the truck..... When you find the culprit be sure to post on it.....will help someone else sometime.... __________________ 1970 Chev CST 2003 Harley Fatboy 1975 Chevrolet Step Van 1956 Chev Bel Air 1977 Blazer 2WD For Sale $3000.00 1978 Blazer 2WD For Sale $7000.00 1978 Silverado 2005 Monte Carlo

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