Charging System Troubleshooting--Blown Ignition Light Fuse?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ACHiPo

Disconnected the 10 ohm jumper and the single green wire (ignition light and jumper completely out of the circuit). Replaced fuse, turned key, fuse blew.

Alright, leave the ignition light and jumper completely disconnected, taped off, and out of the circuit. We will now try and use your tool to locate the short. Coming off of Fuse #3 there are two "legs." One is a W/G colored wire and the other is LtG colored. The latter goes to the heater switch. The former goes to the wiper switch where it becomes a Gn color and from there forks off to the wiper motor and fuel/tach gauges, respectively.

What we will try and do with your tool is to get an idea about where the short is along these lines. Once we get it in the ball park, we can definitively isolate it with a surgical cut to a wire that is easily mended. Put your tool across Fuse #3, turn the key on and observe the circuit breaker clicking on and off. Then put the inductive gauge along the wires as they pass through the firewall and traverse along the path above. Make a note of the behavior of the gauge along each portion of the circuit and report back.

As you're doing this, keep an eye out for an "easily cuttable and mendable" spot on the green wire. I know you don't like the idea of snipping wires, but it's likely that we'll end up doing that. And cutting anywhere along that line limits the potential short locations.