makuloco2000, I have a strange wiring problem

[DaveBen]

A few months ago I noticed my taillights were not working. I checked the fuse and it was blown. I replaced the fuse and turned on the headlights and the fuse blow again. I started to look for raw wire or a cut wire in the taillight circuit and I found nothing. I unhooked a rear light bar I had plugged into the 4 wire trailer light plug. The fuse blew again. I replaced it and removed all wiring that was not from the factory ( I had a wire or two but nothing hooked into the taillights ). Today I removed the drivers battery and the battery box and air cleaner. I looked at the wires going from firewall going along the left side fender. I found nothing that was cut, worn or raw wires. I am still blowing the 15 amp taillight fuse and therefore not driving the truck at night. Any ideas anybody???

Dave

 

[BIG JOE]

Fer starters ??

Take that 4 pin trailer plug apart and clean it up REAL good. Same with the 7 pin if equipped ? And the gang plug where all the OEM rear lighting/towing harnesses plug into the frame rail mounted wire feed (front to rear) terminates.

 

[DaveBen]

I will today Joe. Thanks.

Dave

 

[DaveBen]

I looked at the trailer plugs and I found nothing but a bunch of dust. Then it came to me; I had the front right fender replaced 4 or 5 months ago. I will bet the body shop scuffed or pinched a wire. I will look more carefully in a few days when it cools down. I can't work on the truck when it is over 100 degrees.

Dave

 

[BIG JOE]

I hear ya Dave.... 102 here today.. got all my " outside stuff" done before noon. Inside in the A/C during the 102 stuff.

Joe

 

[DaveBen]

I do the AC when it gets hot also. The electrical bill goes way up during the summer, but better than sweating...

Dave

 

[JLDickmon]

Hey, just FYI, Sears sells swamp coolers for less than a couple hundred bucks..

If the PDC is on the right hand side on the 6 Leakers, you mught be on the right track.
Otherwise, I'd do a voltage drop test across the headlight switch.

You might even want to rig up a short finder with a 10amp circuit breaker and an inductive pickup on a voltmeter..
Plug the breaker into the fuse block and run down the wiring with the inductive clamp until you lose your voltage signal.

 

[BIG JOE]

Hey, just FYI, Sears sells swamp coolers for less than a couple hundred bucks..

111* here today.... Swamp Cooler No worky.. over 90*. Makey good for #1 Sauna tho..

 

[DaveBen]

I hope you can fix or replace it Joe. It has cooled off around here, only 89°.

Dave