Park Tail fuse melting box?

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svwilbur
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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

Post by svwilbur »

we kind of went off topic there.
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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

Post by Linda »

Although you said you just discovered the melted box but you were not actually having a problem, maybe the prior owner did. Therefore maybe you should check the circuit for any possible problems or marginal fixes. On the parking tail lights, the wiring comes down and makes a turn around the bottom of the rear quarters and it is possible to get some abrasion there. Worth checking. And the grounding screw is there underneath too, so a spray, sand, tighten maintainence is useful.
Hope that helps.
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Last edited by Linda on Tue Apr 12, 2016 4:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sadly-Linda has passed away 2022. She was the 311's den mother and drove the first Rare-Parts ball joint project. RIP.
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svwilbur
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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

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thanks Linda I will check that out. I need to research where the other frame grounds are as well that come off the wiring harness.
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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

Post by Curtis »

svwilbur wrote:thanks Linda I will check that out. I need to research where the other frame grounds are as well that come off the wiring harness.
There are two places where the harnesses connect to the frame. The one at the rear and one at the front below the washer tank. The front one is especially important as it grounds your headlights. Both are ring terminals.
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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

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ok thanks, I will clean them both up and check connections at headlights and around.
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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

Post by Curtis »

svwilbur wrote:ok thanks, I will clean them both up and check connections at headlights and around.

You're welcome. We're here to help because we know we'll have to turn right around and ask for help. And there are some really clever people on here.
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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

Post by sunbeam590 »

I had a problem from when I bought my car, about every few mths it would blow that fuse, I just replaced and this went on for first couple of yrs, then got a bit more regular, first I checked every connector to do with the lights, then all my dash lights, finally after hrs of checking I started to take items out of circuit instruments etc, I finally by passed the dash dimmer, no more blowing fuses, so I just connected the in and out wires behind dimmer together, all up about 12 hrs work but that was the end of the problem, and the dash light are fine on full anyway.. cheers..
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svwilbur
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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

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Kevin, thanks for the tip i I will add it to the list to check.
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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

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I was looking at the schematic and trying tto see all that is really using that fuse labeled PARK, TAIL. (third fuse from the top on right side in my case)

I am not real good at schematics when they start running into switches and relays and what have you.

but it looks like that one fuse handles;
park tail- fog lights(i dont have them but I guess wiring may be in harness), driver door key buzzer, headlight relay, parking lights, side marker lights, tail lights and license plate lights (both sides of plate) ANYTHING ELSE?

it handles the headlight relay but the actual headlights seem to be driven though the two 10 amp fuses above it labelled Light Right and Light Left.

I think the turn signals get handled by the flasher curcuit which appears to be the 20 amp COMMON fuse below it.( NOT THE FLASHER FUSE ON THE OTHER BANK NEXT TO IT)

am I reading the schematic correctly?
what really is fused by the fuse la led Park, Tail (20 amp fuse third from tol on right side)? I want to check that circuit over good.
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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

Post by Curtis »

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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

Post by fj20spl311 »

svwilbur wrote: I think the turn signals get handled by the flasher curcuit which appears to be the 20 amp COMMON fuse below it.( NOT THE FLASHER FUSE ON THE OTHER BANK NEXT TO IT)
The turn signals are powered through the ign. fuse - F side Green wire to black/white wire to green wire. That green wire goes to the hazard switch 4 and out 5 - still green wire to the T/S flasher. Out as a white wire to the T/S switch 8
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svwilbur
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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

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I have not tested anything yet. I did clean up two fuse boxes so I could use one I have not yet installed it.

I looked at the wire ground below the window washer bottle. I took the washer off for room and found crushed hard plastic washer lines, something else to fix.

the ground was bad and crusty. and I looked at the other side, passenger side and found a frame ground that the alternator and motor uses to ground to. it looked better but I will clean it up some.

the ground on the passenger side used a larger phillips bolt into a captive frame nut. I looked back on the washer bottle side and saw a similar larger hole. so someone could not get it rethreaded or something and just drilled a little hole and a self threading small screw as a ground.

so I spent a lot of time finding the right bolt and rethreading it to clean it out and sand down to bare metal on frame and cleaned up the ground connector loop on wire and sprayed electronic cleaner on all.

it should be a better ground now. I have to clean the other side off and fix the washer bottle hoses and look at the rear griund around the bumper.....

and clean alot of other connections and then install fuse block and test.

maybe ready to test on sunday. took 3 hours just getting this one ground sorted with the bad frame threads. none of my taps seemed to be correct for it, american or metric. 1/4-20 and 1/4 28 seemed close but no metric looked right either.

here are some pictures.
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svwilbur
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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

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I cleaned up and fixed the passenger side ground for motor and alternator. I also fixed the washer bottle hoses. I also have a ground by the starter to frame. but those two are not used by the park lights. but the alternator one may effect power and charge related stuff.

I also cleaned a ground from the motor to the voltage regulator on the passenger fender.

tomorrow I will cleanup the rear ground by the bumper.
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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

Post by Linda »

I would clean each ring terminal by soaking in vinegar. Under the plastic is likely corrosion too after 45 + yrs :(
I like a Dremel with a small straight wire brush to clean inside the holes, as well as the terminals. HF has all sizes.
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Re: Park Tail fuse melting box?

Post by svwilbur »

Linda wrote:I would clean each ring terminal by soaking in vinegar. Under the plastic is likely corrosion too after 45 + yrs :(
I like a Dremel with a small straight wire brush to clean inside the holes, as well as the terminals. HF has all sizes.
Linda
Linda, how long do you let them soak in vinegar before you rinse by soaking with water and coat with electronics cleaner?
Stacey Wilbur
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