[magnusAk]

So I changed my ignition fuse yesterday on my 86' 22r, and it blew again today. It was turning on and off just fine all day yesterday. Today I started it up just fine, and the brake light in the dash wouldn't go off. (Turn it on off then on usually helps.) Then it wouldn't start. Fuse blew. Any ideas what might be causing this? Learning about this truck is fun, easy, and sometimes a B!+^*. But overall a great machine. Thanks for any ideas.

 

[fourwd1]

Relays don't "blow".
Do you mean a fuse ?

 

[magnusAk]

Ya. by bad sorry.

 

[Rh1n0_86OneTon]

Brake light could just be low fluid in the reservoir and is probably unrelated to your issue. The 7.5A ignition fuse goes to the Emissions computer (passenger side kick panel), and all the emission solenoids on the inner passenger fender well. It also feeds the heater relay, power window relay and the gauge cluster. I would think the problem is probably in the engine well. Take out the fuse, get a meter and hook it to the not powered side. Set to Ohms or Continuity and ground the other lead. Start wiggling wires until you see a short. If the meter has the beep function for shorts/low resistance/continuity then you can do this by yourself. Don't attacth the meter to the powered side of the fuse or you will blow the fuse in the meter. Ign switch needs to be on to tell which side is hot. Doesn't need to be on for the rest of the test.

 

[magnusAk]

I had some melted wires underneath. As for the brake light, it was just the fluid, haha.

 

[fourwd1]

Thanks for the update.

 

[wikked wombat]

when you say 7.5 in the passenger side kick panel, did you mean 75 amp in drivers side kick panel for 87 22re?

 

[magnusAk]

The issue seemed to go away for a while and come back...that was kinda weird. I noticed the alternator is hooked up on the opposite side of the battery on the relay. Is this correct? As far as testing for shorts, what key things would I be looking for? Ok Ok, I've never done this I really don't know. So any Lamens examples would be totally awesome thanks a lot.