Sprinter

Hey Folks,

REALLY need your help, this issue stands between me and the DMV.

I have a 1986 951. Only 35000 miles and it's nearly perfect in every way, completely unmolested... EXCEPT the two fuses that handle the parking lights ("parking left light" "parking right light") blow and therefore I have not parking lights. Both left and right side (7.5 Amp, slots 40 & 41) blow as soon as I turn on the lights. All other lights work fine.

Of note, the car does have the rear license plate delete "944" aftermarket light bar thing (did I say "unmolested?"). I believe it was wired into the license plate light. And oddly enough, it works so I'm assuming it's on a different fuse. However, after reading several posts about how those are cheap and can cause issue, I cut those connections, still have the issue.

ANY adivse you can give me I'd be very appreciative. I'm a pretty decent hand when it comes to mechanical aspects, but electrical issues simply elude me. (Tore apart my 944 N/A car trying to hunt down a speedo issue... still doesn't have a working speedo!)

If you say "check grounds" PLEASE be specific... like I said, I'm an electrical moron.

Thanks again!!

GodSpeed

connect a 12volt bulb to 2 wires. touch one wire to each side of where the fuse goes in and if the light comes on then you have a short you will need to turn the lighs on for this to work. Then find the short.

Sprinter

Dan:

Thanks. Just did test as you described. Light bulb DOES come on.

How would you propose going about "finding short?" Is there somewhere the two circuits come together? Seems odd they are both out... is there a "common physical junction" somewhere that might have been crimped? That's the only thing I can think of that is common to the two but no idea where that point might be.

Thanks for any continued help.

Sprinter

FOUND IT! Took out all the bulbs and found the issue right away. The prev. owner must have gotten confused when changing a bulb in one of the front fender markers. Ya know how the metal piece touches the back of the bulb then bends around and that's the end the positive wire touches... and then the negative connects to the "base"? Well, the PO connected the positive to one end of the bend that touches the bult and the negative to the other end of the same piece.

What I DON'T get is how that was shorting out both sides. No mind, it works and I'm not complaining!!

It's Miller Time.