Car Stereos: 86 GMC, fusible link wires, inline fuse

Question
I have a 1986 GMC. I was replacing my cig. lighter and while plugging it up it arced and now the left side of my fuse box is dead. It is mostly constant battery post. I was able to move the few wires on that side over to the other side of the fuse box to get everything back working. I am trying to fix it and I wanted to know if there is a fuse somewhere for that side of the box?

Answer
Benny,

In newer vehicles, there are fuses under the hood for powering the interior fuseblock.  On older models, such as yours, they used fusible links.  These are short bits of wire that they put inline to the fuseblock that are made of weaker wire.  When there is a short in the fuseblock as you made, that wire is designed to burn at that point instead of letting the short reach the battery.  There is a section of wires coming out of the firewall that contain the fuseblock power wire.  They are all wrapped up in plastic and tape.  That wrapping will need to be removed, starting at the firewall.  There will be a section about 6 inches to a foot out from the firewall that contain a few of these fusible link wires.  The burnt up wire will be pretty easy to notice.  Just cut it out and replace it.  You can buy fusible link wires at your local autoparts store, or you can install an inline fuse on that wire.  Hope this helps, Scott