Calling BG mechanics - HALP

[Fhloston]

I'll keep it short and sweet. 2000 Ford Escort Zx2, shut off otw to work. Towed home and saw my fuel injector fuse had blown. Bought a new fuse and the car started. Left my apt parking lot and it dies on the road nearby. Friends are telling me there's a short somewhere and it could be my fuel injectors need replacing, fuel filter, or worse.

Another friend recommended trying a stronger fuse. The car uses a 30A. We tried a 40A and it fried it within a minute. Threw in a 50A and it's been running good. Took a few laps around the parking lot, gunned it, still running. I want to just take it to a mechanic so they can look at it, but I'm worried that I'll either fuck up my car by using a strong fuse, or it'll die and I'll have to have it towed again.

There was also a puddle under the car, saw some corrosion on the thermostat housing. Wondering if that is part of the problem as well. Any ideas, BG mechanics?

Thanks!

[Byrthnoth]

I'm no mechanic, but I can tell you that "fixing" your problem with a 50A fuse is definitely not the way to go.

[Fhloston]

I'm no mechanic, but I can tell you that "fixing" your problem with a 50A fuse is definitely not the way to go.

That wasn't my intent. Just wanted to get it running long enough to drive to my mechanic so they can look at it and hopefully fix it. They can tow it there, but that's $55. $4 fuse VS $55 tow. Recession, etc.

[Brill Weave]

It definitely sounds like a short. Get it into the shop though. The corrosion on the thermostat housing isn't a huge deal and happens over time. Nothing that would affect your ride this dramatically.

[Suvhater]

using that 50A fuse is ok as long as it is extremely short term. Procrastinate and your car may be on fire on the side of the freeway.

[Stumblingdrunk]

I'm no mechanic, but I can tell you that "fixing" your problem with a 50A fuse is definitely not the way to go.

ignore the non mechanic, ride that 50A fuse off into the sunset

[Pikarya]

ignore the non mechanic, ride that 50A fuse off into the sunset

http://www.bob937.com/Pics/Stupid%20...campground.jpg

[Churchill]

just remember you can buy another old pos car for as much or less than it takes to fix a pos car.

or a motorcycle

[Therin]

The point in a fuse is that when you have a short or other malfunction elsewhere, the fuse blows before the short causes some other expensive part to get damaged (or worse). By putting a 50A fuse in, you're taking away most of the point in using a fuse to begin with. Not a good idea. Get the car to an intelligent mechanic who can actually diagnose your problem. It's probably like your friend said - there's a short somewhere, but without seeing the car it is probably impossible to find it. Also be prepared to have the mechanic fail to find it as well. Sometimes problems like this can take three or four trips before getting resolved.

[Furionstormrage]

If you take it somewhere, put a 30a back in it beforehand. It's probably a short on one of your injectors, get a mechanic who's a good electrician to track it down.

[Byrthnoth]

Couldn't you pretty much do it yourself? Something like this?:
1) Disconnect the battery.
2) Grab your volt meter (multimeter?) and check the resistance between each battery lead and the frame.
3) Follow whichever one is lower to the next convenient check point. Disconnect it and check the resistance between it and the frame (and what you disconnected it from and the frame).
4) Reconnect it afterwards.
5) Repeat until the disconnected piece is grounded. Then you know that the short is between the previous and current check point.

When I say "disconnect", I don't mean you have to take it out of your engine or anything. I just mean you unscrew it and test the wire->frame resistance and the place it was connected to -> frame. Then you reconnect them if the place it was connected to is still grounded. If something is grounded, the resistance is low. If something is not grounded, the resistance should be very high (most volt meters just default to 1, I think).

Not a mechanic, etc., but I think this is approximately how they might go about doing it. Well, not for a 2000 I guess. Your car is probably much denser under the hood than I'm used to and has some kind of code reader/computer that's supposed to help diagnose electrical problems. You're likely to have an electrical wire go into some kind of inaccessible shroud after a few jumps too. Doing work on cars newer than about 1990 is a pain in the ass.

[Churchill]

That's what you do yes. Just have to know where relevant portions of the harness to check are.

[Purrrfect]

Could also try starting it with one injector unplugged and rotate until you find the one that doesn't blow the fuse, to find the path the short is in.

[Fhloston]

Took it in and the mechanic couldn't get a reading thru diagnostic. Battery light was on and I was only getting an 11 charge. Replaced the alternator and I'm running at a 14 charge now. Also put the 30A back in, drove it around and it has not gone out. He said the alternator might have been causing the short. Hoping that fixes the problem. Also said my serpentine belt was cracked, but that's gonna have to wait 'til Friday. Alternator alone ate up enough money....

Appreciate the feedback, though. Hell, even the flaming car picks gave me a good laugh.....