Author Topic: New Vehicle giving me fits  (Read 5446 times)

Offline Canadian 4X4

  • Frequent Member
  • **
  • Posts: 421
New Vehicle giving me fits
« on: December 06, 2010, 06:06:07 pm »
I recently purchased a 2003 tracker 4x4 auto 2.5L
I am hoping one of you mechanics can give me some possible solutions
My tracker is frying fuel pump fuses. I had one go on my way to school today and it somehow happened to be just down the road from napa changed the fuse and it fired up and i was on my way. On my way home same thing happened i changed the fuse, as soon as i tried the key my friend could see the fuse spark tried another one no better. any ideas where to start looking, I assume i have a short someplace, Where in the electrical system should i start looking.
Thanks in advance.

Offline VileZambonie

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 19174
Re: New Vehicle giving me fits
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2010, 08:04:21 pm »
Put a penny in it instead  :P

Stop putting fuses in it or it's going to cost you a lot more money. Unplug the fuel pump connector and replace the fuse. If it doesn't pop look for a short to ground in the wire going to the fuel pump or check the fuel pump.
,                           ___ 
                         /  _ _ _\_
              ⌠¯¯¯¯¯'   [☼===☼]
              `()_);-;()_)--o--)_)

74 GMC, 75 K5, 84 GMC, 85 K20, 86 k20, 79 K10

Offline Irish_Alley

  • Tim
  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 13333
  • Family is not an important thing. It's everything.
Re: New Vehicle giving me fits
« Reply #2 on: December 06, 2010, 08:52:20 pm »
Couldn't a bad pump pull to many amps and blow the fuse
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ~Sherlock Holmes

Offline Canadian 4X4

  • Frequent Member
  • **
  • Posts: 421
Re: New Vehicle giving me fits
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2010, 09:54:47 pm »
My dad said i should pull the pump I am not putting any more fuses in I already wasted $3 thats enough for me haha.  I'm gonna put a jumper wire in it to get it the rest of the way home. If I put a jumper wire where the fuse is and the short is in the pump am I gonna have any problems? Once i get it in the shop i will look for grounds off, should I just be looking for any place from the fuse box back to the fuel pump?

Offline Lt.Del

  • Andy aka:SgtDel
  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3864
  • DelbridgePhotography.com
    • www.delbridge.net
Re: New Vehicle giving me fits
« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2010, 11:34:02 pm »
are you saying jump (bypass) the fuse?   Not a good idea in case you want to pay for a whole new wiring harness, or, worse yet, burning your tracker up completely.

You could run a new wire from the fuse (exit end) to the pump and see what happens.  If works fine, you narrowed down where the short is.  If still popping fuses, fuel pump could be the problem. Of course, Vile's method is simpler for that.

check your owner's manual to ensure proper amp fuse.  This vehicle is new to you.  It is possible previous owner upped the fuse rating to get it sold and off his property.  You don't want too big a fuse because you can overload the wire and fry your vehicle.
« Last Edit: December 07, 2010, 08:05:49 am by SgtDel »

Offline Irish_Alley

  • Tim
  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 13333
  • Family is not an important thing. It's everything.
Re: New Vehicle giving me fits
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2010, 11:44:12 pm »
are you saying jump (bypass) the fuse?   Not a good idea in case you want to pay for a whole new wiring harness, or, worse yet, burning your tracker up completely.

You could run a new wire from the fuse (exit end) to the pump and see what happens.  If works fine, you narrowed down where the short is.  If still popping fuses, fuel pump could be the problem.

check your owner's manual to ensure proper amp fuse.  This vehicle is new to you.  It is possible previous owner upped the fuse rating to get it sold and off his property.  You don't want too big a fuse because you can overload the wire and fry your vehicle.
X2 defiantly don’t try to rig the fuse to get you home. Sometimes you can up it by 5 amps just because somethings overtime wear and draw more amps but defiantly don’t try a wire cause it won’t fail
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ~Sherlock Holmes

Offline jaredts

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1330
Re: New Vehicle giving me fits
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2010, 05:43:52 am »
Do what Vile said.  If you unplug the pump and it doesn't blow the fuse you've got a run of the mill bad fuel pump problem.  Jumper a fuse that keeps blowing.....not good.

Offline SUX2BU99

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1478
    • My Cardomain Site. Truck is on Page 6.
Re: New Vehicle giving me fits
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2010, 05:35:59 pm »
I had a 1990 Daytona that for some reason started to blow cooling fan fuses. Same thing, replace, pop, again and again. Turns out something went weird with a short in the circuit that had the internal voltage regulator in the computer. The cooling fan and that regulator were on the same circuit, but not until I looked at the wiring schematic did I find that out. I never did track down what exactly shorted out but I ran a bypass wire from the voltage regulator wire at the computer, to the fuse under the dash and my problem was solved.
85 Chevy Silverado C10 short, wide, yellow, 2wd. Lowered, 60-over 350 with Dart Iron Eagle heads and Comp Cams XE268 cam, TH350 w/ shift kit, 3.40 Gov-lok 12 bolt.

Offline Canadian 4X4

  • Frequent Member
  • **
  • Posts: 421
Re: New Vehicle giving me fits
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2010, 08:35:30 pm »
I ended up finding a short at the top of the drivers side shock tower. I'm not sure what that specific wire was even or what it was running into, but i put a new fuse in and turn the key into the "on" position and since everything is covered in snow up here i could hear the wires sizzling, fixed the wires and run loom over the wires. haven't had a problem since.