Auto Electrics for dummies

[carreradpt]

Can anyone recommend a book dealing with auto electrics that is pretty basic and can get me figuring out where to start when I need to troubleshoot? I have a couple of little issues that I would like to get working on. Thanks, DT

[Moneyguy1]

Describe the issues and the kind of car. Some of us here might be able to help.

[legion]

Haynes manual?

[carreradpt]

My left turn signal and left tail light are inop. When I pull my light switch to the first stop the fuse blows. I have pulled the light covers and checked the areas for obvious shorts but I do not know where to start with the troubleshooting. What works best for me is to have a guide to say start here, do this. I have a pretty good multitester. Just wished I knew what an ohm is and what I am checking with it.

[Britwrench]

Check all the lights.. pull the bulbs out and try again. You may have a broken dual filament (stop/tail) light bulb which is back feeding. Try also disconnecting the light unit wire harness from the body harness (it's inside the engine compartment)

[carreradpt]

Britwrench, where is the light unit harness in the engine compt?

[Britwrench]

On the extreme end of the inner engine panel (by the rear fuse box) is a round socket set into the metal, that is the haness plug from the lights, the body wire harness plugs into it.

I would remove all the bulbs first and check them before doing anything else.

[RickM]

A short finder may be your best friend.... http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=1378&itemType=PRODUCT&cm_mmc=PMD_SE-_-Google-_-Electrical_

[RANDY P]

disconnect all the lights on that side, then test - keep adding one bulb at a time until it blows fuse. if blown fuse right away before the 1st bulb disconnect the harness, then plug 'em back in one at a time and repeat process.

Clean the grounds as well, if they have resistance then the voltage requirements will go up overloading the fuse.

[RoninLB]

Originally Posted by carreradpt

What works best for me is to have a guide to say start here, do this. I have a pretty good multitester. Just wished I knew what an ohm is and what I am checking with it.

HP and Peterson sell nice hot rod store basic electric books for around $20/ea. Marine stores sell others that are also very good at offering a fuller look at car electrics. Good eventual entrainment is small aircraft elec books. And once you start with ECM troubleshooting and trick multiplex systems a very high speed scope might become necessary?


those short finders are a good tool imo.