Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
I've had my truck in two different dealerships trying to determine why the starter fuse keeps blowing.
It first blew on a cold start back in February. While in Phoenix on vacation I took it to the dealer where they ran an electrical check and found nothing. The mechanic theorized that there my be a dead spot on the armature, and the fuse blows only if the armature lands on the dead spot.
The truck went 30 days before the fuse blew again. It then blew three times in succession on hot starts, and the next morning on a cold start.
When I returned to San Diego I took it to the dealer here who also ran the electrical checks and could not get the fuse to blow. They tightened all the connections, blessed it and sent it home. Three days later the fuse blew on a cold start.
The starter contacts seem to be fine. There is no growning and it lights the engine up immediately.
My experience with dead spots in armatures has been that if the starter lands on the dead spot it just sits there and will not turn, and because there is an open circuit it does not blow the fuse (but my mechanic experience was 30 years ago).
Does anyone know if the fuse is in the solenoid or starter circuit?
Also, I am searching for a non dealer mechanic in San Diego.
Ideas????
Thanks,
Jeff
2000 3500 Cummins 109,000 miles
It first blew on a cold start back in February. While in Phoenix on vacation I took it to the dealer where they ran an electrical check and found nothing. The mechanic theorized that there my be a dead spot on the armature, and the fuse blows only if the armature lands on the dead spot.
The truck went 30 days before the fuse blew again. It then blew three times in succession on hot starts, and the next morning on a cold start.
When I returned to San Diego I took it to the dealer here who also ran the electrical checks and could not get the fuse to blow. They tightened all the connections, blessed it and sent it home. Three days later the fuse blew on a cold start.
The starter contacts seem to be fine. There is no growning and it lights the engine up immediately.
My experience with dead spots in armatures has been that if the starter lands on the dead spot it just sits there and will not turn, and because there is an open circuit it does not blow the fuse (but my mechanic experience was 30 years ago).
Does anyone know if the fuse is in the solenoid or starter circuit?
Also, I am searching for a non dealer mechanic in San Diego.
Ideas????
Thanks,
Jeff
2000 3500 Cummins 109,000 miles
