Starter blowing 150A fuse?!

[drewssc400]

I relocated my battery to my trunk a long time ago. Everything has been fine but now when I try to crank the car it will turn over then it will stop for a sec and then keep on cranking. If I cycle the key off then back on again the starter will turn it just fine. After a couple times of doing this I will blow the starter fuse which at the moment is a 150A. Other times I can crank on it for a while and the fuse won't blow.

My battery relocation has a 2G wire coming from the trunk with a 150A inline fuse. The end of that wire goes to a 1 into 2 junction block. The 2 outlets of the junction block go to my starter (which is on its own outlet of the junction block with a 150A fuse) and the other outlet on the junction block has the alternator + wire and the white wire that goes to my factory fuse box under the hood (which I have an 80A fuse installed for that one). I have no problems with the 80A fuse ever blowing, its just the 150A starter fuse. I think 150A is a little overkill for that circuit but it's all I had laying around.

Would a starter that's on its last leg possibly be the cause for it to intermittently pop that fuse while cranking?

Or maybe I need a better ground to the starter?

I have a brand new OPTIMA red top so I know its getting enough voltage.

[fliprayzin240sx]

So wait, you're blowing the 150A fuse inline to the battery or the starter? First off, if you're running a 150A fuse to the starter and you're blowing it...STOP. You will start melting wires and fucking up other shit since the fuse would be the weakest link in the system. Fastest way for your shit to burn up right there.

Something is grounding out in there. I'd check all the connection to the starter and make sure nothing is fried. If everything checks out, time to swap out starters.

[drewssc400]

Yeah its an inline fuse to the starter. I took the starter off and went to autozone and had it bench tested. They did 2 runs on it, the first time it pulled 58 amps and the second time it pulled 56 amps. I took off the power cable running from my junction block straight to the starter and inspected it. it looks brand new, no cuts, knicks or tears. I put a 100 amp fuse in it this morning, cranked it for 2-3 seconds then it blew the fuse. Im ready to burn this car to the ground.

[xpertsnowcarver]

There shouldn't be a fuse between the starter and battery in the first place... Just a straight 4 gage wire (stock). ----edit

Edit: I had to reread. I must have confused myself somewhere. I'm surprised it's only pulling 56-58 amps... But still, if you're going to put some kind of fuse in the wire, use a circuit breaker that can handle about 200 amps. Most batteries are capable of spitting out more than 200 amps though (Optima is more than twice that depending on which you are using). I just wouldn't use a fuse or circuit breaker. You were right to up the gage of wire. So try it without the fuse. How did you run your grounds?

[drewssc400]

Ok so I went out and got a new starter from Autozone. I put it in and installed a new 120A fuse, it cranked for 3 seconds or then thennnnnnnn the fuse blew again. Who wants to buy my car? I am tired of it. I fix one thing and somethign else F#%^'s up:rl::rl::rl::rl::rl:

I've been a 240 lover for years, this is my third one. This one pisses me off though.

I have a 2G ground wire coming off the battery going right to the area underneath the spare tire. I have another ground off the intake manifold going to the fender well and I have another 4G wire coming off the transmission going right to the frame underneath the car.

I need help

[Slo_240sx]

Do you have anything else tied into that line from the battery? IE. Fuse box, alternator or any other accessories? If you do, I would do a process of elimination. Disconnect everything from that line but the starter.

I have also seen starter cables ground out by the starter. People will connect them and are not careful enough to see they are very close to the block. A small vibration will ground the cable out if it is close.

Fuses blow for 2 reasons. The line that the fuse is protecting is grounded or the amperage draw exceeds the rating of the fuse. Since you have a new starter (assuming its good) I would say your cable is grounding out either on the block, or somewhere you have it routed. Check your connection by the starter itself and if good, follow the cable routing to make sure the insulation has not been rubbed through by the chassis or body panels.

[ray666]

quit with the fuse crap and just run a direct line. make sure no wires are touching on the starter.

[drewssc400]

Yeah I tried the direct line to the starter. Cranked for a couple seconds, then the starter slowed down for a sec and sounded like there was resistance against it, then it started cranking fine again then it blew my main 150A fuse that's 1 foot away from the battery in the trunk.

:wtf:

I have replaced the power wire going from my junction block down to the starter. It's brand new, just put it on today. Nothing else is on the circuit, just a wire from the trunk to a wire that goes down to the starter. This sucks

[_kris]

I've seen this problem before, and the reason being, (it may sound stupid) but it was that the massive connector that goes to the starter was grounding against the block.... can you double check that?

[drewssc400]

Yeah i double and triple checked that. I put on a brand new cable to the starter yesterday. I even reused that factory rubber boot thing that goes over the hot terminal on the starter.