need help!

[nyballer]

New to this forum and it seems great. When I hooked up my battery to my 2001 Merc 40hp this year I didn't receive anything. No fire, no clicks, nothing. Changed to another fully charged battery and the same. Took off the engine cowel and saw the fuse that has the red and red/purple line to it is blown. Replaced that fuse and watched it as my wife turned the key. Snap! it blew as soon as she turned the ignition key to "on". Never had a chance to fire. When I replace the fuse and do not turn the key on the trim still works fine. I also have the horn and lights and other functions. Do I need to take this to the shop? All other fuses are fine, the controls are in neutral. Does anybody know what it means when this fuse keeps blowing? Oh ya, battery is hooked up properly. Thanks for any help, Jason

 

[Nighthawk]

Re: need help!

hello and welcome to the forum.
It sounds to me that you have a wire shorted to ground. I would check the wiring going to the starter solenoid and the starter itself first. Look for pinched wiring or one that has a bare spot that is making contact with the engine block or another metal surface.

 

[nyballer]

Re: need help!

Thanks for the suggestions. So is this a short somewhere then? That 20 amp fuse blows at the slightest key turn. The engine is very clean underneath the cowel and all wires look fine with no obvious shorts. I will get out the meter and see if I can chase the problem. Thanks again, I'll post anything new. Jason

 

[pman7]

Re: need help!

Do it in the dark.

 

[cjames]

Re: need help!

A wiring diagram might be handy, find out what that red and red/purple wire actually does. Can someone post? I did a quick search and didnt come up with anything.