QuestionQUESTION: My question is concerning a possibility of a short circuit in the auto electrical system and is quite general in nature. The ignition key gets slightly more than warm when in use. I have replaced the barrel which incidentally is a plastic casing. It is connected to the car wiring harness via a 5-terminal female socket. The insulation of the wires and the socket have melted to an extent but still seems usable. This is the second barrel I have replaced. I am thinking of replacing the socket just in case it helps to reduce any resistance. How do I check for any possible shorting in the circuit.
ANSWER: You might try this. You will need an amp meter and volt meter. Removed one side of each fuse and connect an amp meter in line with your plus side of the battery. Turn on the key and check the reading on the amp meter. It should read zero with all the fuses removed and everything turned off. You may have a bad relay or motor somewhere in the car. Also check your starter and fuel pump.
Replace each fuse one at a time and note the amp meter. The amp meter will read high amps when you get to the bad circuit. Correct the problem and replace all the fuses. I hope that this helps. Sam
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QUESTION: My apologies if I sound dumb. Yes, but I not very savy with brief technical explations. Please bear with me ...
Poor me, for a start I do not have a amp meter, but I have a multimeter. I'll purchase one if I have no alternative.
" .... You will need an amp meter and volt meter. Removed one side of each fuse and connect an amp meter in line with your plus side of the battery".
HOW DO I DO THIS? CLIP WHICH SIDE OF THE FUSE TO THE AMP METER? THEN CLIP THE OTHER TERMINAL OF THE AMP METER TO THE +VE OF THE BATTERY, RIGHT?
" ... It should read zero with all the fuses removed and everything turned off". CLIP AND CHECK THE READING ONE AT A TIME?
"You may have a bad relay or motor somewhere in the car. Also check your starter and fuel pump". HOW DO I DO THIS?
"Replace each fuse one at a time and note the amp meter. The amp meter will read high amps when you get to the bad circuit". CLIP AS PER THE FIRST READING?
"Correct the problem and replace all the fuses". HOW DO I CORRECT THE PROBLEM?
I hope that this helps. Sam
THANK YOU SAM
ANSWER: Most volt meters have a amp input. Please tell me what model car and the year you have. The plus side of the amp meter goes to the plus side of the battery. The negative side goes to the plus cable. You might need to get someone who knows more about trouble shooting cars. Sam
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QUESTION: The car is a British Morris Marina 1972 model.
You have not helped me much with answers to the follow-up questions (typed out in CAPITAL letters).
I am quite competent in trouble shooting cars, mechanically wise though not on the auto electric wise.
In your reply you mentioned 'Most volt meters have a amp input'. I do not quite understand this. Are you referring to the volt meter or the multimeter? I know volt meter have specifically two terminals only.
You also mentioned 'The plus side of the amp meter goes to the plus side of the battery'. This I understand but 'The negative side goes to the plus cable', I do not quite understand this. Why 'to the plus cable'?
Can you please reply with the little details. Many thanks.
AnswerOn your multimeter is there an amp input? If so, to read current, Amps, you must connect in series with the load. This may be too much for you to understand, you might need to get help with this problem. You need to find out which circuit is causing the problem, heat up the key.
Remove all the fuses and replace them one at a time until the key starts to heat up again. The one that heats up the key is the bad circuit. Find what in that circuit that is causing the problem. That is about as simple as I can put it. Sam
