Ignition A fuse keeps popping on crank

[Sampuppy1]

97 k1500 ecsb z71 5.7 60e

Had a lot of issues recently with starting. Mainly eating starters for stupid reasons.

Finally got a brand new one instead of crappy remans, new power with from battery to starter, new ad244 alternator and charge wire as well. Drove for a month happily after all this.

One fine day after work I go to start it and nothing. Won't click, crank, nothing. Do some poking around. Find IGN A (40amp maxi) popped.

Figuring it was just a hiccup I replaced it with a spare. Popped that. Out of spares I used a few other non-essential ones and they all blew. Including the 60amp abs fuse (those things fail in a spectacular fashion I must say)

So I have a dead short somewhere. According to my diagrams, the maxi fuse supplies a red heavy gauge wire that goes into the firewall and up the column to the ignition switch.

I replaced the switch already based on some input and the ****** remote start install job. (Remote start has not yet been reinstalled) still pops the fuse.

I was able to disconnect the trigger wire from the starter solenoid to isolate that entire side of the circuit and jumped the starter. It got the truck home and back into the garage. But after messing with it for almost a month now, I can't seem to figure out why the hell I'm blowing this fuse.

None of my continuity checks are showing broken wires. I even jammed a wire in where the fuse was and hit crank to see what wire smoked. It blew the wire clean off the fuse position. So that didn't work. I'm lost. How the hell do I go about diagnosing this thing without pulling the engine, trans, and dash out?

Sent from my flagged XT1635-01

Tyler/T-Unit

 

[Sampuppy1]

From the ignition switch the crank position sends power out a heavy gauge yellow wire, back down the column to the plug behind the column where the yellow wire continues over to the convenience center, with a 10 amp mini fuse (this fuse has not blown once yet) from the mini fuse, a purple wire exits the truck cab and makes a stop at the trans shift position box before dropping by the starter relay to send a trigger signal to the solenoid on the starter.

The red wire from the 40 maxi fuse also supposedly breaks off and goes to the starter relay.

The fuse blows on crank only. Run is fine, accessory is fine. I hit crank and it blows instantly.

The 10 amp mini fuse has not been compromised a single time.

I unhooked the trigger wire from the starter and it is not grounded. This isolates the starter from being my issue. As does the fact I hot wired the starter and drove the truck 20+miles home with no issues.

I installed a new ignition switch. Made no difference.

Continuity tests brought up nothing. All wires test fine. Even though I know one isn't.

I tried straight wiring the fuse location hoping whatever wire was grounding out would smoke......it blew my wire clean off the fuse position. So that didn't get me anywhere.

There has to be a way to test these wires that isn't a continuity test. You don't blow a 60 amp Maxi fuse instantly or blow a wire off a fuse spot instantly without a dead short.

I know what wires I need to test. I just don't know how the F*ck to test them as one is buried in the dash with a 1,000 other wires taped to it where I can't even see let alone repair, the rest are in the spider web of **** under the hood. I'm not going to pull the engine just to track 2 wires and I'm definitely not ripping my entire dash out just to inspect a 6" section of wire I can't see.
If I find a reliable means to test these wires, I can run new ones.

Sent from my flagged XT1635-01

Tyler/T-Unit

 

[kenbronnson73]

From the ignition switch the crank position sends power out a heavy gauge yellow wire, back down the column to the plug behind the column where the yellow wire continues over to the convenience center, with a 10 amp mini fuse (this fuse has not blown once yet) from the mini fuse, a purple wire exits the truck cab and makes a stop at the trans shift position box before dropping by the starter relay to send a trigger signal to the solenoid on the starter.

The red wire from the 40 maxi fuse also supposedly breaks off and goes to the starter relay.

The fuse blows on crank only. Run is fine, accessory is fine. I hit crank and it blows instantly.

The 10 amp mini fuse has not been compromised a single time.

I unhooked the trigger wire from the starter and it is not grounded. This isolates the starter from being my issue. As does the fact I hot wired the starter and drove the truck 20+miles home with no issues.

I installed a new ignition switch. Made no difference.

Continuity tests brought up nothing. All wires test fine. Even though I know one isn't.

I tried straight wiring the fuse location hoping whatever wire was grounding out would smoke......it blew my wire clean off the fuse position. So that didn't get me anywhere.

There has to be a way to test these wires that isn't a continuity test. You don't blow a 60 amp Maxi fuse instantly or blow a wire off a fuse spot instantly without a dead short.

I know what wires I need to test. I just don't know how the F*ck to test them as one is buried in the dash with a 1,000 other wires taped to it where I can't even see let alone repair, the rest are in the spider web of **** under the hood. I'm not going to pull the engine just to track 2 wires and I'm definitely not ripping my entire dash out just to inspect a 6" section of wire I can't see.
If I find a reliable means to test these wires, I can run new ones.

Sent from my flagged XT1635-01

Tyler/T-Unit

Did you say the heavy wire feeds the relay fot the starter,not just the trigger for it?Have you tried it with that relay pulled out?when you hot wired the starter the wire was removed from it right?Now don't hate but is that starter wire bolted between the starter and block or otherwise pinched around there?or else i would suspect a problem in the neutral safety switch.

Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk

 

[Sampuppy1]

Did you say the heavy wire feeds the relay fot the starter,not just the trigger for it?Have you tried it with that relay pulled out?when you hot wired the starter the wire was removed from it right?Now don't hate but is that starter wire bolted between the starter and block or otherwise pinched around there?or else i would suspect a problem in the neutral safety switch.

Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk

The heavy gauge wire goes to the convenience center. A small trigger wire goes from there to the neutral safety. If I had a short in the neutral safety, the 10 amp mini fuse would have popped before the big 40 maxi fuse.

Sent from my flagged XT1635-01

Tyler/T-Unit

 

[kenbronnson73]

The heavy gauge wire goes to the convenience center. A small trigger wire goes from there to the neutral safety. If I had a short in the neutral safety, the 10 amp mini fuse would have popped before the big 40 maxi fuse.

Sent from my flagged XT1635-01

Tyler/T-Unit

The red wire from the 40 maxi fuse also supposedly breaks off and goes to the starter relay.

This one I was talking about,not triggering the relay.If I get a chance tomorrow I'll look up a wire diagram.
Do you have access to an amp clamp by chance ?I can give you a few tips on tracing shorts.
Even without an amp clamp ,wire a headlight in series with a turn signal flasher in place of the 40 amp fuse.
Somehow hold it in crank and watch the light and listen to the flasher.move wires or disconnect or unplug things.As soon as that clicking stops and the light goes out you found your short.

Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk

 

[skylark]

Take the relay out and crank it. If if blows, it is somewhere between the relay and the ignition switch. If it doesn't blow then it is between the starter and the relay.

If between the relay and the switch, unplug the neutral safety and try again.

If between the relay and the starter, unhook the solenoid and repeat. If it doesn't blow then it is the starter.

 

[Sampuppy1]

Already past that point.

When I drove it home, I unhooked the trigger wire so I could jump it. I used a small section of wire and tapped the hot post and solenoid trigger post to get it started.
After unhooking the trigger wire I blew another fuse.

The 10amp mini fuse in the convenience center doesn't pop. Has not popped once. So that eliminates the trigger wire to the relay. I've already replaced the ignition switch which comes with a new harness to the plug under the dash so I have an 8" section of wire under the dash that could be rubbed.

OR after looking at the wiring diagram......the starter relay is supplied power as well off the 40 amp Maxi. Meaning the trigger wire to the starter is grounding out.

I just thought of a test that won't blow $11 fuses.

I'm gonna pull the relay, and use a test light hooked to power rather than ground. If one of my wires is grounding out that shouldn't be.....the light should glow right?

Sent from my flagged XT1635-01

Tyler/T-Unit

 

[edonwheels]

Have you tested for a bad relay?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[eyesi]

Hope this help you have a clear look of circuits that need be checked

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[eyesi]

here, a bit more

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

i would start connecting an amper meter in place of 40A maxifuse, key on , not start and take a lecture of current beeng flowing in circuit before starter solenoid is activated, if with key on high current is flowing then you have a potential short in one of the circuits protected for fuses yellow highlighted in this post, and the ones arrowed in blue in previous post