Chrysler Repair: 1998 Sebring convertible blows fuse #8 in PDC when starting, air intake hose, starter solenoid

Question
QUESTION: I have a 1998 convertible JXI and everytime I try to start the #8 fuse blows.  It started out that it would blow after starting several times, but now it is every time.  I removed the fuel pump relay and it still blew.  I am trying to locate the starter relay and I can not.  The manual says it is in PDC center, but the diagram does not have the starter relay called out.  Is there another name for it.  Please help.  I don't want to replace the starter if not needed.  I did check the wires tot he starter and they looked clean (no build up)

ANSWER: Hi David,
There is a separate section of the PDC, at the rear and I believe hidden from view by the air intake hose. There are four relays there, the two at the rear are for the fans, and the ones in front are the ASD (passenger side) and the starter motor (driver side). Keep in mind though that that same fuse also powers the ignition switch (3 separate sections thereof), so something on one of those circuits could be causing the fuse to blow when you try the starter. But try it with the starter motor relay removed. By the way the relay powers the starter solenoid not the motor windings so it could be the wire from the relay to the solenoid or the solenoid itself that is bad, not the entire starter assembly. Let me know what you learn and we can go from there if necessary.
Roland

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QUESTION: Roland,

Thanks.  I found it and tried without relay in and the fuse did not blow.  I replaced the relay and the fuse blew again when trying to start.  what can I check next?  Should I undo the wires to starter and check them?  Is there something else I can check that may be causing it?  any help would be great.

Answer
Hi David,
There is a one page discussion in the manual of how to check the relay and the relay circuit. It is too long to easily type into this site. I can xerox copy and postal mail it to you. Just use the "thank and rate" tab where you can tell me a postal mailing address.
In the meantime, if you have a digital ohmeter you could check to see what the resistance is of outermost (toward the drivers side of the car) pin in the socket to ground. It should be at least 1 ohm. If it is much less than that, then remove the brown wire at the starter motor's solenoid and remeasure. It should then be infinite (e.g. not shorted to ground which would blow the fuse) as that is what that relay socket pin is attached to. Then measure the resistance of the solenoid attachment point just to verify that it is less than 1 ohm which would make me think that it might be defective. If that looks ok, then maybe go ahead and get a new relay rather than wait for the page I will copy to arrive.
Roland