QuestionI have a 2001 suzuki katana 600 that has been maintained very well and has 5,000 miles on it. I have never had a problem with it until recently. my turn signal fuse blew out while i was riding normal and i replaced it, then a week later while i was stopped in town in traffic it blew again so i looked for the obvious in wiring, if a wire was exposed or touching a hot area and everything looked good. At this point i went up from a 5amp to a 10amp fuse and that seemed to solve the problem for over a month and 600 miles later ,one day i was riding and the fuse blew again. this fuse is related to my gauges and turn signals and my rear tail light. I just don't get it! I really want to avoid putting it in the shop for a expensive tech to "maybe" figure it out $300.00 later. can you help! It seems to blow the fuse when the engine is hot or the rpms go over 8,000 or 9,000?
AnswerHi Steve.
Putting a higher amp fuse in only delays the fuse blowing out. You have a short in the circuit somewhere between the fuse and one or more of the components.
My guess, since it happens when the engine is hot, the short is in the wiring near the engine. The reason that it happens when the rpms go near redline, means that the electricity going through the circuit is enough to jump the gap between the short (or possible exposed connection) to a ground (engine/frame/other common groud) or other wire.
The only way to find it is to check the affected circuits for visible shorts and exposed or bad connections, then test each affected line with a multimeter, then do it again (set for voltage this time) with the bike running. You will notice a drop or jump in the voltage on the line or lines that has a short.
You will need the repair manual for the bike, since it has the wiring diagram for the bike, so get one if you don't have one.
Good luck.
FALCON
