So I was working with my fuel pump wiring again tonight and was having no good luck (it just recently stopped working, when i tried my new TPS out). I was trying to jump pin 13 and 87 and having no luck, nothing was happening. I tired both relay boards and nothing was happening. So I turned the key to the point where the combo guage flash's red and tried to jump the relay. At this point not only did the pump not work a wire coming from the coil began to smoke, no fire, but it was melting for sure! The entire harness coming off the back of the relay board was warm to hold. So my question is what the hell did I do? Did I just screw myself, or what kinda moron am I? At this point I'm just gona stop, i'm totally comfused. Why would a coil wire smoke when I was jumping the fuel pump? God I feel dumb!
Eric

P.S.
This was on the negative side of the Coil

don't feel dumb, i recently put a group of ground wires onto the fuse block and subsequently knocked out my headlights, wipers, fog lights and air blower motor. with this car i am demonstrating the phrase "if it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is." so if everything on your car still works, consider yourself smarter than me

~a

Pertronix or Points? What color was the wire?

What were you trying to do by doing this? Were you trying to get your fuel pump to run?

I'm not sure about your pin terminology, but it would seem that you may have jumpered something you shouldn't have.

Do you have a volt meter? Get one.

If you are trying to get the fuel pump to run you need to provide the fuel pump with 2 things to get it to run (+12v and Ground)

Get a wiring diagram for your year /engine vehicle.

At the Relay board in the engine compartment, there are two harnesses. One is a 14 pin and one is a 12 pin.
On the 14-pin connector, pin 14 is +12v. It is fed directly from the battery (no fuses). When the connector is plugged into the relay board, this terminal supplies (+12v) to a fuse and then terminal #30 of all three relays.

The fuel pump power feed is pin 13 on the 14-pin connector. If you want to ONLY check the fuel pump wiring, then you would UNPLUG te 14-pin connector and try the following:

1. Check pin 13 for continuity with ground (is it shorted to ground?) There should be some resistance measured through the wire to ground, but is should NOT be close to 0 Ohms. While the resistance should not be 0 Ohms, it should not be totally open circuit either. An open circuit or infinate Ohms would suggest a broken wire. (the wire could be broken in the power feed or the ground) Check the pump wiring at the pump for ground. The brown wire should have 0 ohms when checked to ground. If the pump has a good ground, then the power feed (Black/Red) wire may be broken.

2. If pin 13 is shorted to ground, you must find and repair the short.

3. Check pin 14 for +12v with your volt meter. (Red lead on pin 14, Black lead on ground) If not, find and repair problem.

4. If you have voltage on pin 14 then briefly jumper pin 13 and pin 14. The pump should run briefly. If not then you may have a bad pump.

5. Remove the plug at the pump and wire it to a 12v test light or your voltmeter. Once it is wired, then briefly jumper pins 13 and 14. The light should light up (or the voltmeter should indicate voltage while pins 13 and 14 are jumpered).

6. If in the previous step, the light lit or the voltmeter showed voltage, your pump is bad and you need to replace it.


As far as your smoked wires goes, It is hard to say what you did without being there. I would suggest removing any jumpers you attempted to place and start working the problem with a clean slate. A good wiring diagram is probably the most important thing you could use right now. The second would be a good voltmeter/ohmmeter, and the third thing would be patience and the last thing would be persistance....

Good luck!

JOHNMAN- Thanks for the advice, I really do well when I have thing's spelled out to me, so naturally I have a question. Does this mean, to put the negative in pin 13 and then just let the positive hang loose? Or put it into pin 14 or something else? I also had read that probing with an ohm meeter can short out something like an FI part, is this true? By the way the wire which smoked coming from the coil was black and purple.
Eric

Black and purple is the tach drive wire.

Alright so it continues. I was out in the car today and the relay board which I have in there appears to be ok, I get 12 volt's through the fuse's, and when using a test relay in the power supply position I am able to trigger the fuel pump relay, but the pump will not turn on.I hear hear the relay tirgger but no pump. This is a ground problem correct? I know the relay's are good because I can feel and hear them being tirggered when I have someone hit the key.
Eric

Bump - I got the fuel pump running, appears that the but connections I had done were crap, oh well, re did them, and found out the pump was dead! Luckily I had and extra pump which I had been using as a test, so I put it in, and I have fuel pumping again. While the is all fine and dandy , when I wen't to hit the key the car wouldn't start. hummm.... well I know it's ignition related, because the engine is turning and I can smell the fuel which is un burned. So tonight I go and pop the cap. The first thing I notice is that it smells like something is burnt, so I look down, and the POINTS WERE FRIED!!! I mean smoked, burnt, the wire was burnt off of the point's, and the condensor looks to be shot too!! Well the could be good or bad. What do you guys think? Does this mean i've smoked the distro too? I sure hope not. Oh well looks like anothere tune up!
Eric

I can't help you with the technical questions, the only thing I know about electrical stuff is that you are never ever supposed to let the magic smoke get out.