Electrical Problems

[MauvaiseHumeur]

Hello, I'm actually posting this for my dad who has a 427 Shelby Cobra kit car. He's been really bummed out for the last few months because he can't seem to figure out why the fuse for the running/headlights blows out everytime he drives it for more than a block.

He's already disconnected the radio, which did not help. Now he seems to think it might be a hot wire that's rubbing against the frame, causing the fuse to blow.

Thanks for any suggestions as to how we can troubleshoot the problem so that he can drive his Cobra again!

[trularin]

More information is in order. Where is your dad? What kind of car? Size engine? Trans? How far along is his build?

General information so we can get a feel of who, whay, wher and how.

[Tommy]

It sounds like a hot wire is grounding out intermittantly to me too. Those can be hard to find, but if the car has a fiberglass body, there won't be too many places where the wires are close enough to a ground to touch. The only other thing I can suggest is to turn on the lights while parked in the garage, and then try jiggling the wires to see if you can reproduce the blown fuse. That may help you locate the shorted circuit.

[Ron61]

One other easy solution which I used because some of my wires were almost impossible to get to. I ran a new lead from the relay to the lights after checking the lead from the fuse block to the relay to be sure it was ok. Also, and I know this sounds dumb, but make sure he has the correct size fuse in the block. I ran my car for 10 years after doing this and never had a problem.

Ron

[Roscoe]

Relay? Does he HAVE a relay?

Roscoe

[Ron61]

I don't know but I did. It is easier to plug in a new relay if the contacts burn than to put in a new toggle switch.

Ron