84 4kq blowing KE-Jetronic fuse....

[Iain Mannix <mannix@privateI.com>]

Hi everyone - thanks for the answers on the Syncro/quattro thing, I have a
better idea of what people are talking about now.  New, fun and exciting
problem for me to figure out.

As you may remember, I bought an 84 4ksq a couple of weeks ago, and it
died.  Joy.  Eventually traced the crappy idle/low power to a bad
distributor....and later, the KE Jetronic fuse, the one under the hood, in
the fusebox, on my car, it is a stand-alone fuse in a row of eight or so
receptacles.  The sticker under the lid of the box calls for a 10 amp.
When I looked at that fuse(after a weekend of hell), there was a 25 amp in
there.  I had been getting around nicely for the past week or so,
everything seemed good, but tonight, it began blowing the fuse again,
seemingly after a three point turn.

My mechanic/advisor guy turned me on to this fuse while I was trying to
adjust the idle - he said that the shift linkage can smash wires around,
blowing this fuse - that's why the three point turn seems important.
Tonight, I re-routed the wires - made it worse, not sure why.  I do know
better when it pops - under load, 3500-4500 or so rpms, right as it is
starting to pull really well, the battery light comes on for a second,
pwahaaaaa....no power.  Still runs, but no power.  Replace fuse, does it
again.

I am asking this hoping that it is a "your shift linkage is doing........"
or "look at the full throttle switch, it is......."

I could only be so lucky, right?  Well, I know my car is not the first to
have this, uhhh, quality, and hopefully, one of you can give me some
targets.  Obviously, the shift linkage is suspect, have to get under the
car tomorrow and see what I can find.  Anything else I should look at?  I'm
guessng the PO could not find the problem, as there was a 25amp fuse in the
slot.  Thanks, hope I get this sorted out - I want to be able to drive this
car without a "problem of the day."  Today's problem was the radiator
reservoir - I was looking at something else entirely, saw the cracks on the
tank.  Whee!  Sigh, got that taken care of.  Yesterday, I changed the
radiator fan, as it siezed, and replaced the thermo switch for the fan, as
it was sticking "on," so the fan would run when it did not need to.  Once
this fuse blowing thing is taken care of, the car should be reliable - I
don't know what else could break!  Lesse.....


Cap/rotor/plugs/wires(would have done this anyhow)
air filter(same)
new/used distributor, new/used hall sender(different than the one that came
in the new/used distributor), new vacuum advance.
New fuel filter.
Various vacuum hoses, about 1' of the small stuff, then three other pieces.
New/used radiator fan/switch.
New/used expansion tank.
Rebuilt right front driveshaft.


Hmmm, think that's it.  Not too bad, I guess.  Seems like more.  I wonder
if the engine assembly is rotating under load, and the oxy sensor is
shorting out on the body or something?  It only seems to pop the fuse under
load.  More to look at.  Anyhow, thanks, hopefully someone can point me in
the right direction!


I.Mannix