electrical problem (imagine that) Fog Lights

With the reputation of these cars I'm shocked and amazed you don't have a forum specifically designated for electrical problems

anyway...
my 86 has suddenly started eating fog light fuses. everything was fine for a long while, now it's goin thru 'em like candy. They don't blow right away but they blow none the less. I'm using 15amp fuses just like the manual says.

I haven't touched the thing aside from removing the upper intake to replace the injectors.

I realize it's grounding itself out somewhere.
What I'm hoping is that you guys can give me an idea of where to start looking.

Thanks.

I don't know anything about the Marchals on the 86, but the the Hellas on the 87/88 sometimes get water infiltration into the housing, causing rust and a loss of connection or rusted thru connectors inside. I have had it happen with 2 sets of lights in the past. It might be a place to look. Just throwing possibilities out there and hope it helps...Tommy

I'll give it a shot and someone can correct me if I'm wrong:

Since the fuse doesn't blow instantly, I would say that you don't have a dead short on the + side.

-you may have a bad switch


-The foglight bulbs are oversized, but since you didn't change them, I would say they are fine.

Let us know.

High resistance LOWERS current flow, and will not cause a fuse to blow.

Like Tommy said, start with the fog ligths themselves looking for shorts. If they check out, start tracing the wires back in the harness looking for the problem.

Any chance the fogs have higher than stock wattage bulbs, like 100 W instead of the stock 55 W bulbs? If so, that will cause excessive current draw, and eventually pop the fuse.

Cool man!
I did notice some condensation in the driver side lense last night. I'll look at that first.
I blew a fuse once before when I had no bulb in it and the connectors touched a plate inside the housing. Blew soon as I hit the switch. The water idea sounds similar to that.

I'll start by dryin out the housing/lense and work thru the rest of the suggestions. Thanks SO much!

and i checked, just now. They ARE the stock replacement 55w bulbs.

High resistance LOWERS current flow, and will not cause a fuse to blow.

oye, I know that. And I call myself an electrician.

Guess all this stress from enlisting and lack of sleep is getting to my head, don't mind me.