I have a 2002 C5Z with a race switch panel. It was starting fine, then started burning the #14 fuse. I can jump the red and purple wires on the TDR and it starts great every time. Any idea where to start looking, or maybe a relay issue to find the problem?
Thanks in advance!

 

What do you mean by “burning” #14 fuse ??…you mean the fuse is blowing every time you start the car ??…I don’t know how you have this “race switch panel” wired so I’d probably start there…you have a direct short to ground so you are bypassing the load and going straight to ground.

 

Okay, should have been more specific. Bought the car from someone on the forum. Car started fine for months after I started using it. Car has spent almost its entire life as a track car, or maybe dual purpose back in the day. Car has a battery shutoff where the key was originally. Has a switch panel with Key, Ignition, Fan, and other switches. So battery power on, then key, ignition, fans, and push button to start. Worked perfectly,, until it started blowing rhe #14 fuse. Had a no-start condition at Sebring recently. A guy that has "extensive" Ct experience saud it was the starter. I had just had rhe torque tube out for rebuild, so knew the starter is a bit of a chore to get to with long tubes, so didn't really want to change the starter. So I did a little searching, found a Forum post here said check fuses 50, 52, and 14. 14 was blown. Forum post said jump TDR, which works. Changed fuse after the weekend, worked fine, until it didn't, blowing the fuse. Just for kicks tried a higher amp fuse. Blows the fuse, but brighter flash. So question is, can a bad relay cause this or is it a short somewhere that somehow does not affect jumping the Red/Purple wires on the TDR. Just hoping someone has a solution, vs starting from scratch to figure it out myself. Call me lazy, but like the #14 fuse thing, I am fine with the easy button if someone has already figured it out. On the no start, I can now tell someone with a no start to check those fuses, thanks to someone on the forum that figured it out prior and posted to help the rest if us out, and I give them all the credit. Thanks.

 

Well first thing is the guy with the “extensive” experience is an idiot and doesn’t know what he’s talking about…fuse 14 is on the control side of the starting circuit and the starter is on the load side…with the TDR removed try to start the car and see if the fuse still blows…have you tried that ??…a bad relay will not cause the fuse to blow.

 

No, but I will, thanks.

 

You can remove fuse 50 and with the TDR relay removed take a 12 volt test light connected to B+ and touch the test light to the yellow connector on the TDR while pushing the start button…if the test light illuminates you have a short to ground somewhere.

 

B+? You lost me there. I do appreciate you sharing your expertise. I do not see a B+ on the diagram, but definitely appreciate you providing the wiring diagram. I bought a factory manual set but they got wet in Hurricane Helene and are pretty fluffy now. Thanks.

 

B+ is battery POSITIVE…connect the test light to anywhere you can get 12 volts…probably easier is a length of wire connected to the positive battery terminal if you test light cord is not long enough…now say if a section of the wiring is worn through we connect to B+ is if we find a ground (wire touching ground) through the test light it will illuminate…can dumb it down anymore than this..when diagnosing a short to ground BOTH ends of the circuit have to be disconnected…that is why we remove fuse 50 and the TDR.

 

Is that Battery + by chance?

 

Yes, B+ or Battery positive…same thing.