mini fuse blows

[shootervalk]

The mini fuse under the RH side cover that controls the tach, neutral light and rear running light (not brake light) blows as soon as I turn the ignition on. Got a new tail light bulb, still blows. Blows out as soon as the ignition is turned on even without the tail light bulb assembly even plugged in Runs fine, brake light works, just no tach, neutral light, rear running light or license tag light. Some have posted an almost similar post but not quite the same. Guess the only answer is :you have a short somewhere. Can't find it so far.

[sandy]

Check inside the headlight cowl. Many connections in there.

[Willow]

The taillight is at the end of two wires, positive and ground, that are tucked away in the rear fender.  They should be protected so nothing wears through their skins but sometimes it does happen.  If those two (of three) wires touch it will certainly blow the fuse even if there is no bulb at the end.

[shootervalk]

Thanks, helps to have some thoughts on what to look for. I can always ride in the day with no problem. Just pretend it is a fast Harley since most regular Harley's don't even have a tach.

[Jims99]

Also check the wire harness along the frame and under seat. If it has shifted the seat could have pinched and shorted against the frame. Same with under the tank, harness up to headlight bucket could have gotten pinched. May have been pinched for a long time and finally wore through. Just another place to look.

[hubcapsc]

There's a green-wire circuit associated with those things.

Once I mooshed one of the green wires in the windshield bracket
and after a while the wire cover wore through  and I got pretty
much your symptoms...

You'll probably have to run that green wire from one end of your
bike the other to find the bad place, if that is what is wrong...

In fact, now that I look at my picture I see that as I was running
the green wire, I found both it and this brown/white-stripe wire
were mashed in the  windshield bracket...



-Mike

[shootervalk]

Thanks guys. The problem was one of the 3 small wires that come through a rubber grommet from underneath the rear fender to the tail light assembly. One of the wires had worn through and was touching metal. Rewired and everything came back to life: Tach, license tag light, rear running light and neutral light . Amazing that the wire could wear through in only 26 years. Runs like new though with only 33k miles.

[Jims99]

Good find. Thanks for posting what you found. Keep her going and enjoy.