New member with electrical issues! Fuse #2 keeps blowing!

[Unclebryan]

Greetings all. Here’s the fast & dirty on my 2004 Ram 1500 4x4 with the 5.7 Hemi. Was having electrical gremlins like spooky self shutdowns and wipers spazzing out and stuff like that. Then it quit for good. Motor would turn over but no spark. Fuse #3 had blown. Replaced it. Started up and immediately died. Fuse #2 had blown. Seems like a dead short in that circuit. Won’t keep a fuse without blowing. Had TIPM rebuilt and fresh FCM. Still blows #2 fuse. Tried bypassing the fuse with jumper comprising a buzzer and fuse. Turn key on and the buzzer sounds for about three seconds and quits. 10 amp fuse does not blow but the motor doesn’t start. Apparently the #2 fuse is the “ENGINE CONTROL RELAY / ASD” circuit. I switched out relays to no good effect. When I had put in a 30 amp fuse it would fire up but immediately blow the fuse. I’m stumped here. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Elkman]

I would trace the wiring and look for a short. Start first with the engine compartment and look for signs of wear. My truck has issues and the factory had laid the sensor wiring over the EGR valve which cooked the wires. It affected one sensor but given enough time it would have taken out several more.

Check to see if there are others that have reported a wiring or electrical problem with your model and year of truck. Not likely that it is only your truck that has had the problem.

This is also where I would go to an auto electrical shop and not the dealer to get expert help.

 

[atom13]

Greetings all. Here’s the fast & dirty on my 2004 Ram 1500 4x4 with the 5.7 Hemi. Was having electrical gremlins like spooky self shutdowns and wipers spazzing out and stuff like that. Then it quit for good. Motor would turn over but no spark. Fuse #3 had blown. Replaced it. Started up and immediately died. Fuse #2 had blown. Seems like a dead short in that circuit. Won’t keep a fuse without blowing. Had TIPM rebuilt and fresh FCM. Still blows #2 fuse. Tried bypassing the fuse with jumper comprising a buzzer and fuse. Turn key on and the buzzer sounds for about three seconds and quits. 10 amp fuse does not blow but the motor doesn’t start. Apparently the #2 fuse is the “ENGINE CONTROL RELAY / ASD” circuit. I switched out relays to no good effect. When I had put in a 30 amp fuse it would fire up but immediately blow the fuse. I’m stumped here. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

Fuses have two jobs. The major, protect the circuit/wire secondary is to actually blow at correct time. You have a short in a harness most likely multiple wires. Find the shorted wire. You can use a cheap wire toner most commonly used for telecom wire tracing.

Putting a larger fuse will just make your situation worse. A shorted wire is a welding lead. The fuse controls how long (time) or powerful your Welding lead is when energized. Instead of one or two shorted wire, you may have more now that you welded and burned the insulation of adjacent wires Put a 200 amp fuse on there and you will most likely find the short by smell, spark, or flame.