And yes, the main fan relay is on inner fender, the aux fan relay on rad shroud, drivers side.

 

Yes, the 2 fusible links are power for fans.
BUT, I ONLY HAVE 1 FUSIBLE LINK WITH 2 WIRES.

Sorry I was lazy this morning and just linked you to a post I made earlier this year.
NAH!...I APPRECIATED THE ASSISTANCE!

Here is a summary of what is on my 86.
Leaving the pos battery cable are 2 red wires, one goes to jump start junction block behind battery, the other to barrel shaped splice. Where the red wire enters barrel, another red exits and goes to connector, which is ECM power. That's why your car dies when you disconnect it.
I GOTTA TELL YA, I HAVE DISCONNECTED THAT PLUG AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE CAR DID NOT IMMEDIATELY DIE!

On the other side of barrel splice are the 2 orange fusible links, they are the power for main and aux fans.
I STILL HAVE TO REMOVE THE BATTERY TO CHECK...ALL I ACCOMPLISHED TODAY WAS TO REMOVE THE MOD I DID TO ELIMINATE THAT AS A POSSIBILITY.

They go into a connector then into harness and make their way to main and aux fan relays.
I HAVE ELIMINATED THE AUX FAN ALTOGETHER THE OTHER DAY SINCE ADDING POWER DIRECTLY FROM BATTERY, THROUGH AN IN-LINE FUSE, TO A NEW RELAY ("+" INPUT SOURCE), OUTPUT (TO AUX FAN MOTOR) DIRECTLY TO FAN MOTOR (+) FROM "OUTPUT" OF RELAY, THEN I USED THE STOCK FACTORY WIRING FOR THE AUX FAN THAT IS SUPPOSED TO RUN THE FAN AS THE TRIGGER FOR THE RELAY COIL SO THAT WHEN THE AUX FAN IS SUPPOSED TO COME ON THE RELAY TRIGGERS AND CONNECTS THE NEW (+) BATTERY SOURCE TO THE AUX FAN THUSLY ELIMINATING ANY DRAW ON THE "HOT CONNECTOR". SO, WHAT THAT CONNECTOR HAS TO IT IS MAYBE 1 OR TWO RELAYS AND THE MAIN FAN POWER SOURCE....THE MAIN FAN MOTOR WAS CHANGED BY ME 2 YEARS AGO AND APPEARS TO BE WORKING WELL. OBVIOUSLY, IF I PULL THE CONNECTOR APART, THE CAR STILL RUNS AND THERE IS NO HEAT - CONNECT IT UP AND WE HAVE HEAT....DO BOTH THE WIRES *EXITING* THE HOT CONNECTOR (RED, NOT ORANGE) THAT DISAPPEAR INTO THE WIRING LOOM - DO THEY FEED THE FAN RELAY?

 

The orange wires ARE the fusible links. The barrel shaped unit is a splice enclosure.

 

*******************

you're kidding right?...it would seem that if a link (wire) burned open and an exposed end brushed against something metal, one would have a real problem!

I thought that the cylindrical "item" was or had the "link" encased inside it.

 

Your car being an '88 you might need to look a little further into the wiring scheme. You also have a h/l control module that is fed through two fusible links and red wires.

You mention the connector gets "hot"? Unplug the connector and see if you lose headlamp function. I don't have an '88 FSM but I looked at a couple wiring diagrams that I believe are correct for the car and I believe you've maybe more to sort out.

Do you have the FSM? If you do just check the power distribution in the electrical section very front.

Removing the fender panel which is only five fasteners exposes all and is a five minute or less task.

This post you mention Helms "missing" - you've not found since original problem in '11? The '89 wiring looks like those that I compared using other sources.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...n-problem.html

If you've "found" the Helm look at 8A-201 maybe or just behind the wiring schematics and you'll find component views that can/will answer all your questions. Still can't find or don't have Helm - time to buy!

 

Nope. The fusable link is designed to avoid such. There are two rubber jackets; the outer is a thick soft rubber.

When the link burns open it separates with the rubber ends covering the burned wire ends, should the link rubber jackets actually open. Most often the conductor simply burns open while the rubber jacks retain enough integrety. Sometimes it's nearly impossible visually to detect a burned fusable link without actually measuring resistance through said link.

BTW, the details of fusable link construction is described in the front of your FSM.

 

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Thanks for the reply!

Your car being an '88 you might need to look a little further into the wiring scheme.
I CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO MY FSM.

You also have a h/l control module that is fed through two fusible links and red wires.
H/L???

You mention the connector gets "hot"? Unplug the connector and see if you lose headlamp function.
WILL DO THAT. I RECENTLY REPLACED A HEADLIGHT MODULE BUT, IS WORKING FINE THOUGH.

I don't have an '88 FSM but I looked at a couple wiring diagrams that I believe are correct for the car and I believe you've maybe more to sort out.
UGH! THE WAY I SEE IT, THIS MAY HAVE BEEN GETTING THIS HOT SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR AND I CAN LIVE WITH IT - BOUT OBVIOUSLY THIS SHOULDN'T GET THAT HOT. I MAY TRY AND DO A MANUAL UNPLUG OF THE MAIN FAN TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

Do you have the FSM? If you do just check the power distribution in the electrical section very front.
I CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO MY FSM BUT, DO OWN ONE.

Removing the fender panel which is only five fasteners exposes all and is a five minute or less task.
EASIER TO REMOVE THE BATTERY - AT LEAST I CAN SEE IF ANY "CLEAN UP" IS NEEDED THERE KILLING 2 BIRDS WITH ONE STONE.

This post you mention Helms "missing" - you've not found since original problem in '11? The '89 wiring looks like those that I compared using other sources.
I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE LINK AND YES, IT IS AROUND HERE SOMEPLACE AS I HAVE BEEN DOING A BIT OF REMODELING AND THINGS HAVE TO BE MOVED.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...n-problem.html

If you've "found" the Helm look at 8A-201 maybe or just behind the wiring schematics and you'll find component views that can/will answer all your questions. Still can't find or don't have Helm - time to buy!
AGAIN, I DO HAVE/OWN BUT SOMETIMES "LIFE" GETS IN THE WAY MOMENTARILY.

 

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THANKS FOR THE REPLY - AGAIN!

Nope. The fusable link is designed to avoid such. There are two rubber jackets; the outer is a thick soft rubber.
I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD YOU. THERE IS A CYLINDRICAL RUBBERIZED PIECE IN WHICH 2 HEAVY WIRES GO IN AND 2 ORANGE SMALLER WIRES COME OUT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE "BURN OPEN" WILL HAPPEN W/IN THE RUBBERIZED CYLINDER. ARE WE ON TE SAME PAGE?

When the link burns open it separates with the rubber ends covering the burned wire ends, should the link rubber jackets actually open.
SEE ABOVE

Most often the conductor simply burns open while the rubber jacks retain enough integrety. Sometimes it's nearly impossible visually to detect a burned fusable link without actually measuring resistance through said link.

BTW, the details of fusable link construction is described in the front of your FSM.
OK

 

How do you intend to replace the battery that is "EASIER" than removing the left fender panel? Fender panel removed you've access to everything with battery "STILL LIVE"!

It's pretty early in the day - maybe time to spend some time searching for the "misplaced" FSM. It's the answer to likely all of your questions. Had you found it in '11 you'd be on your way!

YOUR THREAD TITLE: 88's Wire + Connector HOT!

Connector hot? What easier way to determine the cause than "disconnecting" and see what doesn't function after the disconnect? There's two circuits that are fed with red wires from the vicinity that's mentioned and you've "tampered with" or replaced parts in both of those circuits!

 

How do you intend to replace the battery that is "EASIER" than removing the left fender panel?
1) I CAN DO A BETTER CLEANING OF THE AREA BY REMOVING THE BATTERY AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE CONNECTORS/CONNECTIONS ARE INFINITY BETTER FOR VIEWING FROM THE TOP SINCE THEY ARE ON THE RIGHT (PASS.) SIDE OF THE BATTERY. NOW, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I LOST MY "SUPER-POWERS" SO, I CAN NO LONGER USE MY X-RAY VISION TO LOOK THROUGH THE BATTERY.

Fender panel removed you've access to everything with battery "STILL LIVE"!
2) I WOULD RATHER BE LOOKING DOWN AT THE AREA AS I STATED ABOVE, CAN DO A BETTER CLEANING OF AREA. IT IS OF NO HARDSHIP TO APPLY POWER TO THE CAR WITH THE BATTERY TEMPORARILY REMOVED

It's pretty early in the day - maybe time to spend some time searching for the "misplaced" FSM.
AS SOON AS I CAN.

It's the answer to likely all of your questions. Had you found it in '11 you'd be on your way!
well see, that is where you didn't comprehend what i said in that post! I HAVE LONG SINCE FOUND IT AND HAVE ALSO USED IT SINCE THEN. HOWEVER, I WAS NOT DOING ANY REMODELING BACK THEN LIKE I AM NOW THAT REQUIRED ITEMS TO BE MOVED OR TEMPORARILY PACKED UP! ALSO, ONE DOES NOT NECESSARILY START A THREAD TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE FOUND HIS FSM THAT RAN AWAY.

Connector hot? What easier way to determine the cause than "disconnecting" and see what doesn't function after the disconnect?
SEE ABOVE

There's two circuits that are fed with red wires from the vicinity that's mentioned and you've "tampered with" or replaced parts in both of those circuits!
1) FAN MOD AS I STATED WAS PUT BACK TO "FACTORY STOCK" YESTERDAY WITH NO CHANGES.
2) REPLACING A FAN MOTOR - WELL, MOST OF US HAVE DONE IT AND IT IS NOT OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
3)I TAKE A BIT OF EXCEPTION WITH THE PHASE"TAMPERED WITH" HERE! AS I STATED, EVERYTHING IS BACK TO STOCK AND THE ONLY ONLY ONLY THING I HAVE "TAMPERED WITH" WAS THE MOD TO ELIMINATE THE AUX FAN AS A LOAD. WHATEVER IS BEING FED BY THE CONNECTOR DOWN-LINE IS THE CULPRIT.

 

Update -

.....Finally a break in the rain here. Had a brief chance to do an observation of the electrical connector that is getting HOT relevant to my previous posts.

.....Let me see if i understand correctly....the fusible link is actually the 2 wires that come out from the "black rubbery/molded cylindrical object" - one wire for each device (will clarify below) being 1 for the AUX FAN and one for the MAIN FAN....Those two wires are fed from +12vdc from battery.

....Would anyone or does anyone know what the current draw is for each fan (MAIN and AUX)?...It would seem that the connector is at it's "limits" for current handling abilities and as i said, noting is burned, crisp, brittle, melted...

.....Gonna dig out the manual today and locate schematics to determine actual wire sizes of the twin wires as well as the main feed wire (12vdc from battery). It would seen to me that the twin wires that supply power "downstream" to "work the fans" may barely able to handle the combined total current of BOTH FANS since everything runs through the connector - and thus the heat.

...Now, having determined that each wire mating to the plug separately and individually, power either the relay "primary (activates coil to switch relay)" or is the actual "B+ supply source" for the fans.

....Since both fans have been replaced and are aftermarket, there does exist the possibility that these fans draw more power then stock factory, and thus the excessive current draw. Are the wires coming from the connector the relay coil power OR actual fan power voltage? It would seem to me that the latter is more likely since the relay coil(s) most likely pull 3-4 amps combined and would not cause heat in the currently sized wire.