QuestionQUESTION: i have a 2000 dodge caravan sport 3.3L. i was driving when my radio cut out followed by my rpm and fuel gauges among others. my power door locks then began to click. i pulled over and turned the van off, it would not start again. i looked under my hood and found a fusible link had burnt and broke(the dark green one that is connected to the fuse panel, it then connects to a bigger red wire. i am not sure where that wire goes? i was wondering how i am supposed to find out what made the fusible link burn and what the wire controls.
i should also add that i had previously broken a cam shaft so i had to get a new(used) motor(was not sure if these wires have anything to do with the motor). i used to have cruise control on the old motor, but now with the new(used)motor i do not. the cruise control is hooked up, i was wondering if it could possibly be shorting out and causing my problem with the fusible link?
ANSWER: Hi Crystal,
That fusible link connect between the alternator and the power distribution center where it meets the red wire that comes from the + post of the battery, and the two wires together feed current to all the electrical systems of the vehicle. I suspect that the alternator shorted out and drew too much current from the battery causing the link to burn out. I would doubt that the power distribution center circuits or the battery drew too much current from the alternatior such as to blow the link. But I have never exerienced this sort of a failure. I suspect that the battery is dischared so much as to prevent any starter motor activity. Do the lights at least work?
My thought would be to charge the battery and then see if you can get the starter to work and the engine to run, without having replaced the fusible link. If so, then the alternator is probably the reason for the link blowing and you would want to both replace the link and rebuild the alternator and then see if that solves things. Don't handle the fat red wire without first disconnecting the - post clamp from the battery.
Please 'rate' my answer (see below).
Thanks,
Roland
PS Sorry for the delay but I just found your question in the 'pool' to which Kevin had referred it.
Roland
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: none of the lights would work because the battery was dead. so i am asuming it is the alternator. the alternator is what keeps the battery charged right? my fiance has put a new wire on to replace the old, except instead of a 14 guage he put a 10 gauge on until we can get the right part. after he put the 10 gauge on and charged the battery the van seems to work just fine. my worry is that if i put the new 14 gauge wire on, it will burn again. if it does burn again should i be seeing about a new alternator?
i am guessing the 10 guage wire can take more power than the 14 guage, which is why it seems to be fine. yes?
AnswerI don't see a 14 gauge wire in this circuit, only a 10 gauge fusible link connecter to the 6 gauge red wire at the power center and to 6 gauge gray/black that goes to the alernator. You will want to replace the fusible link with a fusible link of the same size. I don't know why the link blew but it is probably not due to handling too much current in normal operation but rather due to a short circuit of some sort that overloaded the link. I suspect the alternator shorted, but I could be wrong.
