I'm incompetent.

"sony1492" (sony1492) 08/27/2017 at 19:49 • Filed to: This is why I'm not a mechanic

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Had a Kia Spectra that wasn’t running for months, and come to find out it was just a blown fuse that I’d checked at least 3 seperate times.

In all fairness when it stopped working it had an odd problem with the fuel pump being on constantly aswell as not starting. Turned out the fuel pump was on because a stray bit of copper wire was wedged Into an unused slot on the fusebox (that slot apparently was for jumping the fuel pump).

And just now after checking the fuses for the umpteenth time I found the sensor fuse to be blown. But of course I shot-gunned a cam and crank sensor aswell as a coilpack(which ended up being free). So basically a small oversight of not looking closely enough at the fuses(maybe it was just barely blown when I first checked it?) Led to me spending an extra $50 and not having the car running for like 5 months.

At least it runs now, and from here on out I’ll look fuses over VERY closely.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > sony1492 08/27/2017 at 19:54

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A visual inspection isn’t always the best way to identify a blown fuse. Sometimes the break is small enough you will easily miss it. A multimeter is always the best way to figure out if a fuse is good or blown.

Nibby > sony1492 08/27/2017 at 19:57

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did you blow a fuse when you figured it out?

sony1492 > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 08/27/2017 at 19:57

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In this case the fuel pump thing really threw me off.

Id heard of it but never seen it(pun). Definitely gonna do that next time I’m dealing with fuses.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > sony1492 08/27/2017 at 20:00

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It is interesting that you can jump power to the fuel pump inside the fuse panel.

sony1492 > Nibby 08/27/2017 at 20:01

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No, though I’m hoping whatever caused it to blow was insignificant. Or that it had something to do with the fuel pump debacle

sony1492 > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 08/27/2017 at 20:04

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Or that a stray wire touched just the right two spots within the fuse box(under plastic and everything) at the same time that the car died.(or caused it to die, idk)

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > sony1492 08/27/2017 at 20:08

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At least you’re not incontinent.

sony1492 > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 08/27/2017 at 20:19

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It can always be worse

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > sony1492 08/27/2017 at 21:03

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It was a spectral problem? Or perhaps an issue not on your spectrum?

At least you weren’t K.I.A as a result.

I’ll see myself out...

diplodicus > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 08/28/2017 at 14:15

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I think most cars have that. I know my E39 does. So by extension all other modern BMWs.