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I got a Honda Accord 1986 -carburetored. My problem is the fuse keeps blowing on the fuse box for the fuel pump. I bypassed the relay and put in a new fuse to see if the relay was causing the issue but the fuse kept blowing. I polled out the fuel pump to see if it was grounding but it looked fine. So I pulled out the whole fuse box to scope it out and it looked fine to me. So I put everything back together for the fuse box including the relay and checked and wiggled all the wires under the hood. Then I put a new fuse in and it didn’t blow.. The car kinda ran like crap then the fuse went out again. I then went back under the hood and re-wiggled all the wires and checked connections. After that I put in a new fuse and it did not blow. The car warmed up and then went to idling mode 🙂 As the car was running I went back under the hood and wiggled all the wires again to see if it would blow the fuse… Nothing… I even wiggled the wires to the fuse box and nothing… The fuse has not blown yet but what could be causing this????? A guy at auto zone was telling me that With my year and make of my car there was a problem in the distributor? Something about it grounding out? I’m so stumped on this one guys… Any suggestions? or dose anyone know about the distributor causing this?? Btw this just happened one morning when i was ready to go to work. before that the car was running like a champ.
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Electrical problems can be a challenge even for skilled mechanics. I would say if wiggling the wires “appeared” to fix your problem for now, that you have a wiring issue. “not to state the obvious” But with a car this age wiring can always be a concern. I am not sure why the distributor grounding would cause the fuel pump fuse to blow without blowing anything else unless its in direct line with the distributor. “which is kind of meh” Without a FSM or a schematic it would be hard to say. However I won’t leave you hanging. Here is my suggestion to you. Get yourself an el cheapo multi meter, and some gator extendor clips, next time the fuse blows ” if it does ” meter out the hot wire on the distributor to the fuse. just clip one side of the gator clips to the red lead on the meter the other side to the hot wire on the distributor, the other gator clip to the black lead on the meter and take it with you to the fuse that is blown, if u touch the gator end to the fuse on either side and get a 0 ohm reading or low ohm reading it is in direct line with the Voltage source of the distributor. I would be leaning toward faulty wiring grounding out the circuit rather than the distributor but who is to say without actually tracking it down. i know its not much but its not a bad place to start. The electrical part of the FSM would also be highly recommended so you dont have to waste valuable hours tracking down the circuits. come to think of it disconnect the battery before you start tracking it down and put a jumper on the relay to the fuel pump, because if the relay isnt engaged then even if it were a straight shot or the same source in both places you would not read it as low ohms with the relay open. Anyways, GL again, sorry if i was rambleing a bit but im super tired. long work day.
PAt
Either the fuel pump is locking up or there is a short.
Put an amp meter on the fuel pump line and see what its
drawing.http://www.ericthecarguy.com/faq/solving-automotive-electrical-problems
The ‘wiggle test’ will only take you so far. I think in your case you might have a short. The article posted above is full of some tests you can try to isolate the problem. Good luck and keep us posted.
GOOD News!!! I found the problem!!! There was exposed wire behind the solenoid that sits behind the carb. The wire was barely striped some how but it was arching over to the chase, This would explain when i was moving the wire nothing would happen because were the wire is located it could no be moved much, So thats why when i really gave it power it would arch over and blow the fuse! I taped it up and now it works like a charm. Thank for all the help guys!
BTW…Next stop distributor, Leaking oil so i gotta replace o-ring “Seal”, any one have advice on that?
Pull out the blown fuse and hold it up to the light. Look carefully at the middle part between the prongs.
If the middle part is like, blasted, blackened and totally blown out, you probably have a wire that is shorting to chassis somewhere between there and the pump.
If instead the middle wire is like drooping or just has a small crack, then it probably expired from slight over current, and that pretty much has to be due to a failing fuel pump.
Not 100% definitive but a good chance of that.
The real test is to unplug the fuel pump relay and put a 30-amp ammeter between the two large socket pins. You should hear the pump whirring and the ammeter should indicate some number of amps. If it’s more than 75% the fuel pump fuse rating, or when you do this startup test ten times, it sometimes hangs at high amps for a second or two before starting, the pump is bad.
Fuses are rated to blow in 2 minutes at their rated current, so typical running current is NEVER the fuse rating, it’s like half to 75% at most.
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