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Tech Forum : Blowing Fuel Pump Fuse

- BMW E21 Community
   - Tech Forum
      - Blowing Fuel Pump Fuse
melloh   Posted Monday, Feb 18th 2:52am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 646
   
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is
So, I got the starter in and working (minues support bracket), but now I'm blowing the fuel pump fuse when I revv it up. I have no more fuses to test at what rpm it blows, or if it only blows when I release the gas. It will idle fine (before I tap the gas and the fuse blows and engine dies). I have no idea where to start on this... from the internet search I did, it seems I could get a fuse with higher amp rating. Is this advisible? Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thank you!

jdench   Posted Tuesday, Feb 19th 1:11am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 190

Sussex, UK
1979 E21 323i, 1998 E36 323i touring
Don't put a higher rated fuse in, it will cook whatever is making it blow in the first place. You will have a short somewhere, check for broken / cracked wires etc.

BarryA   Posted Tuesday, Feb 19th 11:24pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 211

Sacramento CA
81 320
If everything was working normally prior to the starter replacement, you might want to start by taking a very close look at all of the wiring along the driver's side of the engine compartment that might have been disturbed in the process of r&r'ing the starter. Look carefully for pinched wires, cut insulation, etc - if I remember correctly, there's also at least one ground wire that's supposed to be attached to one of the starter support bracket mounting bolts - if that wire's loose, you might be having problems related to a bad or overloaded ground somewhere else in the system.

melloh   Posted Wednesday, Feb 20th 1:18am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 647
   
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is
Awsome. I'll try to look at those this weekend (sorry, busy w/ school and family circus). Some notes regarding wiring:

There are 2 wires/bundles w/ eyes that attach to the starter on mine, one larger one in white-ish insulation and runs to the block(?) and a smaller red one. Both look stock. The red one did have cracked insulation near the eye, so I brushed some liquid electrical tape on there.
Though to my limited knowledge, I don't see how this could harm anything, but you all know better. Also, this confirms your suspicions on cracked insulation.

second, the male tabs on the m3 starter were not the same as the e21's. On the e21 it was easy to remember which went where b/c one was narrower. The e30 has same sized male tabs. The larger female wiring from the car would not stay on the m3 starter's male tab in the corresponding location, so I made an adapter to fit. I'll be looking here first. Thanks for giving me a good place to start looking.

Guess my luck finally ran out and it's my turn to do some ground-hunting.

Thank you gentlemen, I'll update as soon as I get a chance.

PS: Anyone know of a more affordible solution similar to this? http://www.etoolcart.com/browseproducts/Fuse-Saver-Short-Circuit-Locating-System---IPA8005.HTML
If not, I know these fuses aren't exaclt expensive, so I'll just buy small bucket of 'em.

PPS: A tangent thought... why not install circuit breakers on cars instead of fuses??

melloh   Posted Wednesday, Feb 20th 1:22am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 648
   
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is
BarryA wrote:
if I remember correctly, there's also at least one ground wire that's supposed to be attached to one of the starter support bracket mounting bolts - if that wire's loose, you might be having problems related to a bad or overloaded ground somewhere else in the system.


Just re-read this and boy, I almost hope you're right b/c it will make life easier (potentially). There is currently no bracket installed, hence no ground wire. It was so long ago when I took it apart, i cannot recall, but there was no explicit mention of a ground wire at the bracket in the haynes or chiltons. I'll Dive in with lights and mirrors and maybe i'll get lucky!

melloh   Posted Tuesday, Mar 4th 12:58am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 650
   
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is
As most of you already knew (yet I was too paranoid to accept), the solution was simple. The "adapter" I made so the ground wire would fit on to the new starter was not properly insulated (my bad). Apparently, the vibration from revving the engine up was enough to get the ground to touch the + wire. After about 5-10 layers of electrical tape wrapped around it (so I never have to go in there again), no more blown fuses. Now I have an extra dozen 16a fuses! Maybe I'll hand them out as party favors for the next meet.

Now maybe I can get to figuring our why the car has a lopsided bounce...

Greg323i   Posted Tuesday, Mar 4th 4:34am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 383
   
Melbourne, Australia
1982 Hennaröt 323i
melloh wrote:
Now maybe I can get to figuring our why the car has a lopsided bounce...


Bent wheel? Wheel balance? Wheels with too large of a center hub?

melloh   Posted Tuesday, Mar 4th 7:33am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 651
   
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is
Nah. I'm on stock wheels. I'm pretty sure it is related to when I got run off the road and into the curb. Passenger side frame rail was bent - had it straighened out. He managed to get it pretty close to stock - drives straight. But, something about it 'feeels' off still. For instance, left turns seem to have a smidgen less understeer than right turns. So many things can be off.... right now, just want it to run reliably.

Turns out, I spoke too soon earlier. The fuse blew on me 3x on my way to school just after I posted!!! Though it is more 'stable' than before I insulated the wire. I have some ideas, but looks like another saturday dedicated to sourcing the problem.

g323   Posted Tuesday, Mar 4th 10:29pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 235
   
California
323i 1982
how much was the frame straightening, did you do it in SJ? how long did it take?

grant

melloh   Posted Wednesday, Mar 5th 6:44am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]
Member
Post nr. 652
   
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is
it was done in LA area for about $150. Took them 1 day. Obvisouly... its still not "perfect". But at least its not tearing through tires and the camber is right (had like an extra 5 degrees or something).


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