How do These Fuses Come Out. and Mystery Wire ID?

[stuzbot]

Just having a nosey in the fusebox in the engine bay and came across this. It looks suspiciously burnt, but I can't work out how it comes out. It doesn't want to pull out and the wee clear plastic lid doesn't seem to want to open. Any ideas?...

BTW —according to the fusebox lid, it should be the alternator fuse. Odd because the seller told me that the truck had had a replacement alternator and it's working OK, coz I'm getting 14,3V across the battery terminals, with the engine running. But that fuse definitely looks suspect.

Also, while I was in there, I noticed this dicconnected wire [there's a lug terminal under the insulating tape]. It's white with a red stripe. I'll see if i can dig out a wiring diagram in a bit. But, meantime, does anyone recognise that?

The truck has an aftermarket immobiliser fitted, which I'm slightly wary off as it seems to kill the car completely —ie. no lights on the dash or anything— when the battery is low. And, given that quality bit of scabby electrical tape over this cable end, I wouldn't be surprised to find it was a bit of a botch job. So, I'm wondering if this wire is something to do with the ignition circuitry, which has been by-passed by whoever fitted the immobiliser.

I once spent a happy afternoon ripping out a huge spaghetti ball of insulating-taped in wiring on an old VW van with similarly temperamental electrics. I think restoring it to the original wiring left less in the van than I pulled out. Why do people do this? It's not like a box of heatshrink and wire termnals is going to break the bank, is it?

 

[Towpack]

They just pull out. There should be a removal tool clipped to the underside of the fusebox lid, mine disappeared years ago. The W/R wire goes to the ign switch.

 

[stuzbot]

They just pull out. There should be a removal tool clipped to the underside of the fusebox lid, mine disappeared years ago...

I thought they probably did. But didn't want to welly on it too much, in case I was missing a clip somewhere. I don't remember seeing anything clipped to the lid. So mine must be AWOL too.

The W/R wire goes to the ign switch....

Ah. So, as I suspected. This is the fallout from the immobiliser having been fitted.

Cheers!

 

[Steve H]

If they are the main fuses(alternator and starter/glow plug i believe) they DO NOT pull out but are bolted in and you will need to seperate the fuse box to replace(ask me how I know). The fuse box is the same as my Colorado and I tried pulling them out . All I did was break the outer casing. Try looking on Roughtrax site and you will see what I mean. Took me a couple of days to get the box out and replace it. @Towpack is right about the wire . It is the main feed for the ignition . On my Collie it broke and killed everything until I repaired it.

 

[stuzbot]

If they are the main fuses(alternator and starter/glow plug i believe) they DO NOT pull out but are bolted in and you will need to seperate the fuse box to replace(ask me how I know)....

Eek! —good job I didn't get out with the pliers then.

I might just leave it. In spite of its burnt looking appearance, The fuse is obiously good, as the alternator works and charges the battery. Maybe it blew previously and someone jus replaced the core [if it's the type of fuse where you do that?]

 

[Shayne]

I would leave it alone , a fuse works or is dead and theres no in between If it were blown the consequence would be obvious .