Amethyst
04-03-2011, 02:20 PM
In case anyone else is having a similar problem with intermittent short circuits, what I found may be of help.
Several years ago I had a problem with my Marauder's turn signals blowing their fuse, usually when I had a passenger or when I was turning right from an upward incline. Unable to find the cause, the shop finally jumped the offending circuit and it was apparently fixed (glad it was under warranty through all that hassle).
Last fall it began blowing the right headlamp fuse, always after going over humps or a railroad track that would rock the Marauder a certain way. I figured it was the same problem returning to haunt me, and I was even more sure that a wire bundle was wearing through somewhere and that the wear had reached a second wire.
Sure enough, after some failed searches and finally some disassembly to trace the wire bundles, I found it. The wire bundle that feeds over the right front wheel well then makes a left turn and passes across in front of the radiator was able to make contact with the right frame extension. Using a dental mirror, I could see that the wrap and wire insulation had worn through, exposing the hot wire(s).
I temporarily repaired it with several wraps of tape and will make a permanent repair once spring quarter is over and I get some of my life back.
~Leslie
View of problem area, beneath the right headlamp (removed):
http://cloaked.drizzlehosting.com/WireBundleWear-Through.jpg
Several years ago I had a problem with my Marauder's turn signals blowing their fuse, usually when I had a passenger or when I was turning right from an upward incline. Unable to find the cause, the shop finally jumped the offending circuit and it was apparently fixed (glad it was under warranty through all that hassle).
Last fall it began blowing the right headlamp fuse, always after going over humps or a railroad track that would rock the Marauder a certain way. I figured it was the same problem returning to haunt me, and I was even more sure that a wire bundle was wearing through somewhere and that the wear had reached a second wire.
Sure enough, after some failed searches and finally some disassembly to trace the wire bundles, I found it. The wire bundle that feeds over the right front wheel well then makes a left turn and passes across in front of the radiator was able to make contact with the right frame extension. Using a dental mirror, I could see that the wrap and wire insulation had worn through, exposing the hot wire(s).
I temporarily repaired it with several wraps of tape and will make a permanent repair once spring quarter is over and I get some of my life back.
~Leslie
View of problem area, beneath the right headlamp (removed):
http://cloaked.drizzlehosting.com/WireBundleWear-Through.jpg