fuse burning out on drivers side near starter?

drumyn29

drumyn29

Senior Member
I keep hearing about a fuse burning out on drivers side near starter, is it a fusible link? I can't seem to find mine and I think I may have an electrical gremlin. So far I've replaced, 2 points, 2 condenser and ignition cable and still no spark.

I HAD spark after installing all of these then 5 minutes later no spark. I did have the lights on without knowing it for about 10-20 minutes.
 

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If there is a fuse it is aftermarket. There was no fuse from the factory until 1932. No telling where someone might have put it but on top of the starter is a common place.

Charlie Stephens
 
Hi drumyn,

Just try to acquire a little Model A faith & follow these simple steps:

All gremlins will immediately leave if you buy something like a yellow analog GE Multimeter with a needle, (as opposed to a digital multimeter), at a place like Wal-Mart, ($13.00 or so), or try Amazon.com.

1. First check voltage at the source, i.e., the battery (+) & (-) terminals with the multimeter.

2. Follow the ground wire to the frame, follow the other hot wire to the starter taking readings along the way of the hot wires which should read the same or almost the same as that voltage read on the battery.

3. If you can follow an electrical wire from its beginning at point A, to its end on point b, just continue to check voltage along the way & at every connection terminal -- it is just that simple -- do not skip one length of wire.

4. Once you get the hang of it, you may find yourself to be fully qualified to teach electrical engineering courses at any university, today that is -- electrical current is really that simple -- almost like water running in a pipe.

5. A Model A electrical diagram indicating wires will surely help.

You are welcome.
 
H. L. Chauvin said:
Hi drumyn,

Just try to acquire a little Model A faith & follow these simple steps:

All gremlins will immediately leave if you buy something like a yellow analog GE Multimeter with a needle, (as opposed to a digital multimeter), at a place like Wal-Mart, ($13.00 or so), or try Amazon.com.

1. First check voltage at the source, i.e., the battery (+) & (-) terminals with the multimeter.

2. Follow the ground wire to the frame, follow the other hot wire to the starter taking readings along the way of the hot wires which should read the same or almost the same as that voltage read on the battery.

3. If you can follow an electrical wire from its beginning at point A, to its end on point b, just continue to check voltage along the way & at every connection terminal -- it is just that simple -- do not skip one length of wire.

4. Once you get the hang of it, you may find yourself to be fully qualified to teach electrical engineering courses at any university, today that is -- electrical current is really that simple -- almost like water running in a pipe.

5. A Model A electrical diagram indicating wires will surely help.

You are welcome.
Click to expand...

Thank you!

One of the first things that I learned when I starting building cars was how important a good ground is with electrical systems and it's the most over looked.

Not sure why I didn't think of that for this car.
 
Hi drumyn,

I have no doubt you are absolutely on the right track -- point A to point b, one electrical wire at a time & never jump ahead.

We "all" need to be reminded from time to time that our ancestors were able to arrive here by sea by traveling from point A in one simple direction.

Those who went out to sea wandering all over the place changing directions every day, maybe they made it here, but it probably was most frustrating, very tiring, & took a lot longer.

In my work every day, I seem to look for point A often too.

One day I might find it. LOL
 
Last edited:
Cars without fuse where common 85 years ago.
Today you need to have in minimum one fuse as you dont want to
spot your car burning.
Fuse should be on top of your starter. You might use one from the
vendors especially for your "A" or you might use any fuse from any vendor.

In your pic 1 you see the bolt on top of your starter. Fuse has to be "in line"
with this yellow cable to be connected there.
(means, the fuse has to be put between the bolt and the yellow cable or just
anywhere in this yellow cable.)

25 Amp ist enough there.

You might want to put additional smaller fuses
- to the headlights
- to the break lights (as switch there might be faulty)

Before working on the electrical system, INSTALL A FUSE FIRST


I find it helpfull to have a disconnect switch in the big cable close
to the battery as well . If your car does not have such a switch
you might start with loosening one cable at your battery (just
enough to disconnect this cable by hand, once you spot
"electrical-smoke" while working on your car.



Have fun
Christoph

What happened to the cap on your oil-filler?
 
Pic 3

Your connection-box seems to be "over-filled"
Have a look there you dont want a "short" there.

You have a new armed cable to the distributor.
Its very common to have a short in the dashboard behind the ignition-key.
Your car wont fire up with a short there.

Tell us, what you found
Best regards
Christoph
 
H. L. Chauvin said:
Hi drumyn,

Just try to acquire a little Model A faith & follow these simple steps:

All gremlins will immediately leave if you buy something like a yellow analog GE Multimeter with a needle, (as opposed to a digital multimeter), at a place like Wal-Mart, ($13.00 or so), or try Amazon.com.

1. First check voltage at the source, i.e., the battery (+) & (-) terminals with the multimeter.

2. Follow the ground wire to the frame, follow the other hot wire to the starter taking readings along the way of the hot wires which should read the same or almost the same as that voltage read on the battery.

3. If you can follow an electrical wire from its beginning at point A, to its end on point b, just continue to check voltage along the way & at every connection terminal -- it is just that simple -- do not skip one length of wire.

4. Once you get the hang of it, you may find yourself to be fully qualified to teach electrical engineering courses at any university, today that is -- electrical current is really that simple -- almost like water running in a pipe.

5. A Model A electrical diagram indicating wires will surely help.

You are welcome.
Click to expand...

Mr. Chauvin I am always surprised how simple you can make difficult subjects and you do it is such a gentlemanly manner. You are indeed a true asset to this site.
Wayne
 
By the looks of your picture you may have the cable screwed too far into the distributer.It just has to contact the lower plate tab,not be bottomed out.Too tight pushes the tab too close to the body,shorting it out.
 
drumyn29 said:
I keep hearing about a fuse burning out on drivers side near starter, is it a fusible link? I can't seem to find mine and I think I may have an electrical gremlin. So far I've replaced, 2 points, 2 condenser and ignition cable and still no spark.

I HAD spark after installing all of these then 5 minutes later no spark. I did have the lights on without knowing it for about 10-20 minutes.
Click to expand...

What is the extra wire going into the junction box for ??..
 
If that is the speedometer cable, and it sure looks like it is, then that could easily be contacting something is shouldn't be inside the junction box.
 
Here is a question from a non electrical guy, where is your oil filler cap? Plus that is a strange looking generator cut out box. Is it an A cutout or some other type that may be causing your problem???
 
the ground to the frame should be clean bare metal for a good ground. new ignition cable install is a good place to start trouble shooting. Looks like the car has been rewired. In the future change one thing at a time and then test to see if anything changed. Much easier to diagnose a bad result that way. in the long run you will be much more effective in your work to improve the car's performance.
remember each mistake leads to more experience, and more knowledge.
 
Ground is utmost important. I run a second wire from the ground connection to a bolt on the transmission. I use a # 8 stranded wire.
 
Looks like your hot wire is laying on the motor mount. Should not be touching anything from the battery to the starter. Should be a bracket bolted to the bell housing with a gourmet that it goes through , and straight into the starter connection.
Model A's vibrates a lot.
 
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