Chrysler Repair: Wire burns out, why?, wire burns, inner fender

Question
There is a wire that goes from the steering column to the engine bay. It burns out for some reason...I have replaced it and everytime it burns back out. The car starts but soon after the same wire goes out again. I would appreciate any info because I'm trying to get this car back on the road for my mom. thanks

Answer
Hi Raphael,
The only black/yellow wire I find is related to the parking lights on all four corners of the car. Yet you say that the lights are not affected by the burnout (have you verified that the parking lights still work after the wire is burned? I don't see a relation between those black/yellow wires and the engine not running.
If that is indeed the purpose of the wire then it may have been blowing because the fuses #21 (20 amp) and 22 (5 amp) are supposed to blow instead. Look at those fuses and see if they are indeed those sizes and that they are not blown.
Is the relay that is clicking the next to the front in the second row of relays in the relay block to the left of the driver's left leg? Let me know answers to all these questions.
On the other hand, is it possible that the color of the wires is Dark blue/Yellow rather than Black/Yellow? Take a brighter light and verify which is the correct color assigment and let me know which it is. There is a Dark blue/Yellow wire associated with the autoshutdown relay and that relay is in the engine compartment on the left inner fender. And that wire, if blown, will shut down the engine.
So that is how far I have gotten.
Oh by the way, this LeBaron, is it a convertible? Are you only thinking about getting this going "for mom"? Many have called this model the perfect "babe mobile" as you probably already know.
Roland




Hi Raphael,
I can probably get your Mom's car running again. But I need more information:
What is the year, model and engine size/type?
Can you tell me the color(s) of the original wire?
Can you tell me to where is goes in the engine compartment?
Do you have any idea of whats stop working when the wire burns out (does the engine just stop running?).
If you can't identify the wire color or where it goes or what it is attached to in the steering column, can you describe the location in the bulkhead between the cabin and the engine compartment where the wire passes thru? These bulhead thruputs have a pattern to them and even you may see numbers at each wire, so see if you can tell me the thruput pin number.
I have wiring diagrams for many of the car, so if you can help with more specifics we can get this solved. There is usually a fuse that should blow rather than a wire burning out, but in cars built before '92 there were wires that acted like fuses called "fusible links" and that may be what is burning out in which case we have to figure out why too much current is flowing thru the link. But I have to know which wire or link is burning out.

When you write back, it I am "maxed out", just use the "Thank and Rate" response tab and write your message in the "comments" area.
Roland