Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Electrical Woes - Mega Fuse Maybe?

Hey Guys!

I am hoping that someone can help me chase down an electrical gremlin that I am having, which I think could be the mega fuse.

A couple of weeks ago my amp light was coming on and I noticed that my interior lights were flickering (dash and floor board lights). At the time I didn�t think it was anything since my car would start up and I didn�t notice any idling or surging problems. One night, I had a heavy load on my battery, lights, radio, windshield wipers and my car stalled out and wouldn�t start back up. I had it towed, and my first assumption was a bad alternator, which is what the shop also said. They replaced my alternator but I noticed my lights would still barely flicker like it did before my alternator went. I had the shop replace it again (free of charge of course) and the same thing happened, flickering lights. They suggested I take it to an electric shop, which I did, and the electric shop said my belts were lose and my battery needed to be replaced. I did all of the above, and when I put the new battery in my interior lights still flickered. I checked my voltage at idle and it read 14.4, so my output is good, for now, but think that something else is wrong and will sooner or later drain everything. I checked some posts and my shop manual and it looks like it could be the mega fuse. So where is the mega fuse located? I checked behind the TB and by the coil, but no luck. I have no idea what the mega fuse would look like, so I took a few snaps hoping someone could draw an arrow to it. Here are the pics. Someone help me out and circle where I should look. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!!

John


http://www.deadpixelsociety.com/contour/1.jpg
http://www.deadpixelsociety.com/contour/1_small.jpg
http://www.deadpixelsociety.com/contour/2.jpg
http://www.deadpixelsociety.com/contour/2_small.jpg
http://www.deadpixelsociety.com/contour/3.jpg
http://www.deadpixelsociety.com/contour/3_small.jpg
http://www.deadpixelsociety.com/contour/4.jpg
http://www.deadpixelsociety.com/contour/4_small.jpg
http://www.deadpixelsociety.com/contour/5.jpg
http://www.deadpixelsociety.com/contour/5_small.jpg

Firstly:

The megafuse is located at:
1_small.jpg - below the red wire on the left.. (look for the smooth plastic (and a small orangish line below that)

Description:
BELOW the coilpack, between the engine and the firewall.

look for a large plastic rectangle "box" that is, in all actuality, holding (routing) the wiring harness for most of the engine. You will see TONS of wrapped wires going in either side. the megafuse is physically held on to the BACKSIDE (red: firewall side) of that rectangle box. You will see two metal posts (with nuts), one on either side of the fuse itself.

Secondly:

I would not suggest the megafuse as the culprit. If the fuse is absolutely good: it wouldn't affect flickering, either way.

if it was bad: your battery "charging" light would be on.. ALL the time. regardless.

Even if it "could" partly go bad.. (HOW unlikely would THAT be.. its a FUSE) then it wouldn't affect lights flickering..

The light, and voltage for the car period, output of the car, while running, is controlled by the alternator's amperage output. When demands are placed on the car, the alternator makes more current, thus powering that demand. When a QUICK demand hits, and the alternator is too slow (IE a subwoofer note hits hard) then the lights suffer, as the amplifier sucks all of the alternators output up (since it hasn't had time to make enough for the amp AND the dash lights). By the time the alternaotr ups its output, the note is over, and the alternator lowers its output. the cycle repeats.


Now, on to your specifics:

HOW many watts are you running? The stock OEM alternator is a 130amp alternator, and SHOULD be able to power enough of your system to avoid most flickering. Anyway.. reiteration:

flickering is not having to do with your fuse.
Battery doesn't either, unless your car is off, and you are powering your amp by your battery.

Ray

Stock sound system, and it is a stock 130amp alt. Even with my stereo the light flicker. Alternator is new and so is the battery. I will have to watch and see if the battery holds it charge. Not sure what else I can do. Grounds seem good.

let me get this straight. If you turn off your radio and heater/AC you still get a slight flicker or pulsing?? Becasue this is what my car does and I've just learned to deal with it, but it would be nice to know that someone else is trying to tackle the problem.