I've had this 1995 "Zr28" Camaro for roughly 3 years now, and it's finally giving me a pretty intense issue. This week, it's been overheating pretty bad (max ~200s riding to work and 230 parked). I took it to three separate shops and nobody can read my computer, since they don't have the correct ODB device. After a thermostat and fan relay change, the diagnosis is that the fans won't spin up, even when the computer is telling it to. I've done voltage checks and even bypassing the relay with wires didn't do the trick. I'm trying my best not to go get a full rewiring done, even though there is one wire that burned itself apart. Tried to patch that wire and it burns up again and again, so this is where I'm stuck. Is the wire the cause of my overheating problem?

 

 

 

You don't mention which wire is burnt in two. This could help identify where the problem is at. If one of the motors shorted to ground internally or was locked up, I would think it could be possible that the amperage draw could increase high enough to burn a wire in two before the fusible link would. Check the motors for operation by providing a temporary power supply at the fans. Also, when you repair the burnt wire, make sure to use the same size wire as the original.

 

Doing this test showed that there wasn't a 12v supply reaching the box. Testing D1 gave a floating value of about 0.3 volts. After a continuity test between the split wire (past the red '+' box) it was connected to the D1 pin on my fan relay plug. I'll post pictures of the wire in another post. (Edit: The relay pin D3 has the 12v. Also the F labeled relay welded itself to the box and I cant remove it. What does this mean?)

 

Here is a picture of that split wire. The box is getting 12V, but this wire burns up every time it is patched even with the same gauge of wire.

 

The fact that relay welded itself to the box is a sign of a direct short. Sounds like power from wire #402 terminal F4 in relay #2 has come in contact with a ground source. You're going to need to remove the relay, see if you can find where it shorted, how much damage was done and if it can be repaired. Almost sounds like the wire that burnt in two was the fusible link.

 

 

Don't replace the link with a piece of wire that is the same size, Get a new link. The link will have a smaller size wire inside to prevent the type of damage you are seeing. Of course the new link will open with the short that is obviously present. So you have to find and fix that first.