I haven't posted much but I'm afraid I need some help from the electrical gurus.
Situation: turn signal fuse blows within minutes of driving regardless of turn signal stalk is engaged. Signals work fine before fuse blows. (left and right side function correctly before fuse pops)
Fuse was fine for about a month after adjusting tilt steering to different position but now pops regardless.

I do have a remote start/alarm installed under driver side dash but I have only integrated into the parking lights circuit and have made sure to not hang my umbilical from any factory harnesses.

The point in the rear bumper where all grounds come together for light sockets is hand twisted and taped (possible problem point?) Also this wasn't something I was comfortable doing but was necassary to get my fiero home that might.

If I put a new fuse in immediately after the first blows, the new one will pop instantly

Checked amperage at fuse block while signals engaged and got the same reading from left to right although I can't remember what it was as I checked this quite some time ago.

Hazards work ok even with signal fuse blown.

Hope someone can use these findings to point me In the right direction

Thanks for helping everyone
Jeremy

To pin point the problem, you're going to have to tell us whether your car is an '84, a fastback, or an '85-up notchback since the wiring is different for all three configurations.

For starters though, the ground connection you taped up has nothing to do with it. Also, the turn signal fuse also powers the back up lights. It would help to diagnose the problem if you could state whether there are any common circumstances that contribute to the fuse being blown, for example:

Is it really random, or is it only when you put the car in reverse? Perhaps it is when you turn the steering wheel or tilt the column?

My initial guess is that the wire harness inside the steering column that connects to the turn singal switch has proabably been pinched or chaffed through on one of the 12V wires and is short-circuiting against the inside of the column either as you turn the wheel or use the tilt function.

My car is an 85 SE v6 notchback automatic. It hasn't blown in reverse, I can drive in a straight line it will blow, I allowed it to idle for twenty minutes and it never blew, as about 50 feet later it blew while driving around my garage

i know it sounds funny but check your flasher. i had replaced mine with an electronic one. the case was plastic and the holderf had cracked the plastic and then shorted out. mine had done the same thing as you are describing so it worth the time to check

Thanks a bunch dude, I'm gonna check that out, where would I find mine?

Fuses only blow when a hot wire hits something thats grounded or another hot wire. Ill suspect its in your steering column too . Could you have done some signal lite or back up lite repairs and crossed the wires making one hot that should be a ground ?

Thats a negative roger, I have 8 years in 12 volt electronics installation, and while I appreciate the help, I can assure you that there are other scenarios thar can cause a fuse to blow. I posted this topic looking for diagnostics help from veteran automotive electricians. I'm hoping that someone else may have resolved this same ailment

For what it's worth, here's a picture showing where the flasher module is, though I doubt that's your problem. It should have a purple and a blue wire running to it.



The problem can't be with one of the turn light sockets because the wires leading out to the lights are unpowered unless you turn the flasher on. So then problem must be either:

1. that the little spring bracket that holds the flasher unit under the dash is rubbing against one of the flasher terminals;

2. that the purple or blue wire have chaffed through the insulation and is/are intermittently grounding against the metal under the dash or the inside of the column;

3. that the dark blue wire leading to the gear selector switch mounted on the transmission has chaffed through the insulation and is intermittently grounding against the frame;

One last thing to check is if the fuse is blowing when you're shifting from park to drive. If it is, then there's a good chance you have a short in your reverse lights since you have to pass the shifter through reverse to get to drive, which temporarily turns on the reverse lights.

Blooz! Tremendous help sir! This is the direction I need, I came to a similar conclusion but not as prepared, will let you know how it turns out

quote Originally posted by 87Formulaclone: Situation: turn signal fuse blows within minutes of driving regardless of turn signal stalk is engaged. ... I can drive in a straight line it will blow, I allowed it to idle for twenty minutes and it never blew, as about 50 feet later it blew while driving around my garage

Likely not turn signals...

Unplug C500 to eliminate rear lights. (Can run the engine w/o light section... C500 use 3 parts, base, engine, and light.)
still blows?
Unplug C100 to eliminate front lights.

------------------
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.
(Jurassic Park)

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

I will try that as well ogre, thank you very much, what will those results tell me? Problem is limited to cab forward?

UPDATE! After reviewing the symptoms, a short was believed to be somewhere between the fuse box and turn signal switch in column due to fuses blowing without signal use. I noticed that there were two dark blue wires at the back of the fuse box feeding the actual twenty amp fuse. None of the wiring diagrams listed two wires, only one. I noticed the back up lights are powered by the same fuse. I cut the dark blue in half that was headed to the rear. This disabled reverse lights although it made the short apparent since I STOPPED blowing fuses. I then located the actual short in the shifter housing. The dark blue was barely being pinched to ground. I hope this helps anyone suffering the same issue

When it comes to electrics Blooz is always my go to guy!!! Blooz, thanks for what you do for all our little cummunity!!!

Blooz was spot on. Guru status achieved good sir! Many thanks