Help! Ignition 40 amp fuse keeps popping after motor swap

[whytry]

Ok I guess I'm somewhat lost on checking for continuity. I put the probe ends where I'm the fuse panel?

 

[chipskittles]

Since it's only happening when cranking it's a problem with the solenoid trigger wire, purple I think, 12ga. With the vehicle off check for continuity between the end at the starter, and ground. Should be infinite. My guess is it's shorting around the sleeve that bolts to the transmission. That's a problem area, with the exhaust manifolds and all. Even without getting it caught in between something it's real easy to melt this wire on the manifold. I wrapped heat reflective fabric around that bundle.

 

[whytry]

Probes in place. - are they correctly placed? When car is off I get the 1.0 reading showing. When I crank it that's when I get the 5.4 reading

Thank for all the help guys

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[whytry]

I do see that purple wire you are talking about and it moves freely in that sleeve by the tranny. Can't tell if it's rubbed the insulation away. Check out my pictures I just posted and let me know your thoughts from them.. thx

 

[chipskittles]

It confirms that you have a short in the circuit but not where it is. Check the solenoid wire to see if it's grounded. Then go from there.

 

[whytry]

It confirms that you have a short in the circuit but not where it is. Check the solenoid wire to see if it's grounded. Then go from there.

How do I check that wire specifically? Do I put the prob on one end at the starter solenoid and the other to ground? Or one end at starter and the other end in fuse panel? Thx

 

[chipskittles]

Yes one end of the prob goes on the solenoid trigger wire, not the one going to the battery, and one goes to a convenient ground.

 

[whytry]

Ok so put one prob on grounded chassis and the other on purple solenoid wire at solenoid, I didn't unscrew the nut and take the wire off the terminal but touched it to the solenoids wire loop I got a reading on .6 with the car in the 'on' position

 

[chipskittles]

There's your short. Someone else can provide more details on where that wire actually goes I don't remember off the top of my head. It eventually goes to the ignition switch but there are junctions in between obviously. I would disconnect the wire from the solenoid to rule out the solenoid being shorted which is rare in my experience but not unheard of

 

[honkon]

The solenoid wire is in a small loom with the knock sensor wire. It goes from the starter up through the metal wiring channel thing that bolts to the passengers side of the bellhousing, across the top of the bellhousing, and then joins into a bigger wiring loom that runs down behind the engine, and eventually into the fuse/relay box. I think it joins the bigger loom about right behind the driver's side valve cover, but I don't remember exactly.
I pinched both the knock sensor wire and solenoid wire, solenoid wire was just kinda chaffed but the knock sensor wire was broken. I was able to stick my hand up there and pull them out from between the engine and trans. It started up fine after that. I've put 2,000 miles on it since this and the damaged solenoid wire has yet to give me trouble. It'll probably need to be fixed eventually.
I used a little mirror like this and a flashlight from below to find where the wires were pinched.

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You can try following it by hand from above or below. If you remove the vortec box from the intake tubing, you can stick your arm down behind the engine and feel around for it. It's probably easiest to run your hand down the bigger loom until you feel the knock sensor and solenoid wire separate from it into their own loom, and then follow it across the bellhousing from there. You can also try to feel for it from below, by sticking your hand up between the transmission and body.
Sticking a soldering iron down in there to fix the broken knock sensor wire was the single most frustrating thing I've had to do to a vehicle, ever.
Also note that I shouldn't have said anything about getting someone to turn the key while checking the wire for continuity to ground. The short exists either way.