electrical short

[alpinecowboy]

He all, did some digging on the forums, but I couldn't find (or missed) what I was looking for.

I've got a short somewhere in the electrical system. When I turn the engine over the following don't work:
-clock
-radio
-tail lights (all)
-dome light
-heater/ a/c blower (front)

I dug through the wiring harness and did determine that all of these items are linked through the same line so I tried to obvious:
Replaced the fuses
Jiggled the wires
Pulled the relay

No luck. Weird thing is that after a few minutes of driving (5 - 10 min) it all powers back up and stays on. Then, if I turn the truck off it all goes away again...

Any ideas or places that I should look??
Thanks in advance

 

[D'Animal]

Maybe a relay or bad ground?

If it was a direct short, it would not come back on after 5 minutes of driving. It would also release the smoke from the wire in the faulty spot.

 

[alpinecowboy]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll check the relays. The funny this is that i had the relay for the Tail pulled out one of the times that everything (except the tail) miraculously started working again. Makes me think that a PO had rewired the truck through the relays "creatively"... or is there another relay that I am missing?

If it is a bad ground, what's the best way to identify it?
Thanks

 

[cando john]

fuseable link on the main bat wire ???
thats what i think

 

[augirthedude]

fuseable link on the main bat wire ???
thats what i think

x2 When checking the fusable link check the connections /plugs where the link plugs into . on mine i have found signs of deterioration and excessive heat on the buss wire that feeds the devices you have mentioned . the link may still be good but the connection to the link may be bad . as the connection goes bad the resistance increases generating heat at the bad connection leading to the connection getting worse and eventually failing . good luck

 

[alpinecowboy]

I was able to trace it upstream to one of the flat fuses in the engine compartment that had worked loose. Cleaned it and tightened it and voila... right as rain.

Thanks all for the help