I was looking under the hood yesterday just to check on things and found what looks to be a burned up fusable link. I started the car and it did get hot to the touch, but I don't know how hot they usually are. I have just put a new alternator on the car. I am experiencing no electrical problems other than with accesories on: lights, AC etc the volt guage reads just above 11. Also the right headlight goes up slower than the drivers side. What causes the burned fusable link and how should it be replaced?

Eric

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I sure someone has a better answer than me,but you can replace the fuseable link with a smaller diameter wire.Read here for wire gage thickness:
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Tables/wirega.html#c2
Try disconnecting the single wire to the right and left headlight and see if the wire gets warm,if it doesnt the thats your problem (headlight rebuild or replacement).A high powered amp on the same circuit can cause this problem.

Make sure you replace any fuseable link with another one of the same rating!!
It's there to protect your electrical system because that part of the circuit doesn't go through the fuse box. If you take out the fuse link and don't replace it properly, you're risking electrical damage, shorts, and a potential electrical fire. They're not expensive. Don't try to save a couple bucks and end up destroying your car in the process.

Get an external volt gage to make sure your readings are accurate. You likely have some electrical issues that caused the link to overheat and burn out. Get those fixed before anything else. Check your grounds, too.

quote Originally posted by Indyrestoration: I was looking under the hood yesterday just to check on things and found what looks to be a burned up fusable link. I started the car and it did get hot to the touch, but I don't know how hot they usually are. I have just put a new alternator on the car. I am experiencing no electrical problems other than with accesories on: lights, AC etc the volt guage reads just above 11. Also the right headlight goes up slower than the drivers side. What causes the burned fusable link and how should it be replaced? Eric

Buy a new one and install it.

you need to crimp in the proper replacement link. can you tell where that one goes? from the looks of it, it may go off to the alternator, not sure on the 4 cyl harness tho. if it does go to the alternator, and it is getting that hot, I would suggest you first check your battery, a shorted internal cell will cause hi current draw from the alternator, a hot link, and low voltage.
an easy indication is if the battery is hot to the touch. a test with a good battery tgester will tell the tale. if the batter is okm ten you need to find the hich current draw , which will mean pulling the battery + and putting an ammeter in series with the line to the car. you should use one capable of reading up to 100 amps initially just so you don;t smoke it. with car off, and no accessories you shouldn;t see anything or a slight flick on a 100 amp guage. turn on accessories one at a time and look for
a heavy draw. the highest would likely be the a/c since it will turn on the radiator fan and your blower, but should be no more than 25 ampsw total for that. headlights should not be over 20 but the parking lights will add, so do the parking first, should be about 10-15 amps, then the headlights which will add another 15 amps.
you need to find the problem or you;ll just be replacing alternators and links, and run the risk of burning up your harness.

Looks like all the heating is taking place at the splices. I know Ogre will disagree but those connections should be soldered and weather sealed. Insulated crimp-on butt connectors like the ones shown retain moisture and accelerate corrosion at the junctions. It's also difficult to get a good non-resistive splice initially.

we are not looking at an Indy...
what year is this car?
.
.
and modify that heat shield before it rubs a hole through your AC line.

ya this is an 84 indy, why do you say it is not?

Eric

84's have 2 fusable links, and they both are in the circuit attached to the big stud on the starter where the battery cable goes.

if this is an 84 like you say it is, then someone has been here before and done something "custom" to it.

[This message has been edited by buddycraigg (edited 08-29-2006).]

Indyresto, you're referring to the yellow thing that looks slightly burnt in the middle, correct?

To me that looks more like a 10-12 gauge crimp butt end connector than anything else. Especially given that unless altered by a previous owner or wrench, you won't find a fuseable link there on a 84.

If I'm correct, it's far from a sealed connector and likely what is happening is that moisture and/or other contaminants have got in there, and it's heating up because it is conducting poorly. Cut the little bastard out of there, re-attach the two ends using solder & insulate with double walled heat shrinkable tubing.

[This message has been edited by dguy (edited 08-29-2006).]

Here is the best shot I have of my Indy
Looks like yours has been changed.

[This message has been edited by ohioindy (edited 08-29-2006).]

Ohio, what part of mine are you referring to that looks as if it has been altered? I appreciate all of the advice and help, all of those with suggestions or thoughts please chime in!

Eric

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i think that wire probably goes to your alternator.
could have been damaged by rubbing against something (like the waterpump belt)
or it could have melted from an electrical problem.

replacing the wire would be fine but the butt connectors that was used probably is causing too much resistence and getting hot.

and fix your heat shield

quote Originally posted by Indyrestoration: Ohio, what part of mine are you referring to that looks as if it has been altered? I appreciate all of the advice and help, all of those with suggestions or thoughts please chime in! Eric

Buddycraigg hit it. The heat sheild if you look at mine there is nothing going over it.
No problem

[This message has been edited by ohioindy (edited 08-29-2006).]

I've been trying to figure out why mine sticks up, now I know



The previous owner replaced it right before I bought it, he must have re-routed it that way.

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1984 Fiero SE

it's amazes me how many 84s are out there with the factory radiator hoses on them

Here you go...
I went out and took pics just for you
And I know my valve cover is the wrong color

quote Originally posted by ohioindy: And I know my valve cover is the wrong color

was that for me

The butt connector is prob why its overheating. I prefer to solder and use shink tube on them.

quote Originally posted by buddycraigg: it's amazes me how many 84s are out there with the factory radiator hoses on them

That pic was from when I first got the car, I replaced the hose when the engine was replaced. Other various changes since then. I need to take new pics of the car AND engine...

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1984 Fiero SE

Man you guys come down hard on a fellow indy owner! But really I do appreicate the really good pictures. I will use those when I get back to the car and reroute some of this stuff. One more thing though. I think it is best to replace this whole wire from the positive terminal. When I replace it does the new wire need fusable links, butt connectors, or neither? Also, any specific routing of the wire.

By the way, the wire had not touched the belt, so no worries there. I will turn the oil cap around. I will bend the heat shield so it does rub on anything and I will move the throttle cable under the heat shield. Thanks for the beating!

Eric

The burn is not the fuse link per se and is a direct result of people that don't use a weather resistant connectons. If you must use those lame insulated crimps... they have to be pumped full of silicone to keep water out or over wrapped with "self vulcanizing" tape. (The "rubber" tape that turns permanently seals onto iself when wrapped over stuff.)

If that connection is running to the alternator, it has to be able to carry around 100 amps minimum. The connection has to be rated above the max output of the alternator.

As noted above the connection developed resistance. At this current all you need is a few fractions of an Ohm and you can easily get that after the first time or two an open crimp gets wet.

The normal rule is that Fuse links should Never be soldered. In the case of 84 Fiero, where the alt feed goes to the battery direct and then down the main cable to the mess on the starter, soldering may be the only option. This connection cannot be allowed to corrode or it will keep burning out.

The problem with soldering is that it increases the burn point on a fuse link. Increasing a fuse value is nearly always a bad idea.

There is something counter intuitive about this link.... The link that goes to the alt isn't to protect the alt. It doesn't. This link will almost never blow if you short out the alt. Keep in mind that this link doesn't go to the battery direct on many cars. The Alt, SI or CS, will blow first. The link really prevents a fire when the alt dies in any way that could allow a short of the battery.

Now go look at the CA and CCA ratings on the battery... A small increase in the value of the link isn't likely to matter a huge amount. The battery will dump hundreds of amps into a short. I'm not sure that even in a perfectly bone stock setup of 84 or any later year that some links will blow fast enough to prevent a fire under the best conditions. Pretty much every link I've seen blown is the result of corrosion eating into the wire under the soft rubber cover.

Even still... If you do anything to increase the value of a link, soldering and/or cutting it shorter, you'll want to keep it to an absolute minimum. The link to the Alt is about the only one where you'd want to solder. Any other link should be replaced and crimped with the joint being weatherproofed as much as possible.

The other links in the vehicle CAN prevent car fires. These links will help keep the wire(s) behind them from lighting up inside the cabine or some other place where it may be weak.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurasic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top of every forum page...)

Well I thought that today I would go out and take a further look at this wiring issue that has been going on in this post. It turned out to be a total mess!

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As you can tell, or at least I hope you can I have a mess with all thse wires that I found. First there is a group of three that have been electrical taped together. A green, black and yellow. When I took away the electrical tape the yellow just broke off and the green and black are just about broken off in that same place. This group runs from somewhere in the front of the motor to around the back of the motor. Also I beleive the black wire is a ground and it is bolted onto the top of the motor.

The red wires that you see in the pictures are part of what this thread was originally started about. The bigger guage wire that comes from the positive terminal goes to the back of the alternator. Then there is another smaller guage wire that you can see from the pics is connected into the bigger guage wire. The smaller guage wire is connected somewhere in the front of the motor (i can't see where).

I do not have time to tackle this project so I will be taking it to my mechanic. Before doing that I want to be able to explain to him how the wiring should be routed and what goes to what and where. I need ya'll now more than ever. I think this should explain the low charging under load and hopefully when fixed will make a pretty big difference. Pics that you guys have would be great along with explainations.

Thank you,

Eric

quote Originally posted by Indyrestoration: I was looking under the hood yesterday just to check on things and found what looks to be a burned up fusable link. I started the car and it did get hot to the touch,

Just a technical point: If a fusible link is burned in two, it will not get hot.

I FINALLY found an 84 wiring diagram. I traced all the wires from the posetive terminal, and here's where they all go:

Thanks, Im sure the diagram will come in handy when fixing this problem. Now, what about the other three wires, the yellow, black, and green? I sure hope a regular mechanic can figure this stuff out! Anybody chime in when you can!

Eric