Turn signal/back up lamp fuse keeps blowing at ignition

Ok, here's a fun one thats got me stumped. I have no turn signals or back up lamps. As soon as I turn the vehicle on, I can hear the little fuse in the block pop. I put in another one, POP...done.

Based on what I see, the fuse place for ts/bu(turn signal/back up) is directly connected to the pink wire coming from the ignition switch. The glass fuse seems to be completing the connection to the neutral safety switch where the back up lights are powered up from there. The glass fuse also(per schematic) can power up cruise control, seat belt buzzer, and other items. If the seat belt buzzer is also the horn relay, then I do see that is disconnected, I haven't had horns since i bought the car, but the turn signals have always worked. I do see that it also can route over to a vacuum control solenoid for trans kick down(?).

I was thinking my short circuit is in the neutral safety switch. However, I did disconnect the pink leads and i still blew the fuse upon start up. Its a possibility that one of the other leads is bad as I did recently replace a coolant temp sender for the light and may have a cracked wire in the harness behind the alternator. I'm running out of ideas and these little fuses are starting to add up.

 

Just took dog out to pee one last time and got under dash again. I see that wire connects to a junction that meets on other side of firewall and heads behind coil, distributor, and alternator...all areas that i messed with during the reinstall of the timing cover that broke last month. I also messed with the coolant temp sender wiring and it appears that the "pink wire" may run through that area as it heads to the vacuum control solenoid. I'm thinking there's a broken wire under all that grease, oil and dirt tucked in there. Time to remove the alternator and start looking for a broken wire thats kissing the block. I hate tracing down this type of crap.

 

Found it...fixed it! Back on the sunny fall roads again starting tommorrow.

 

Cool, but what was wrong ?

 

Oh right...reason.

I followed the harness along the firewall onto the intake manifold where it then drops down behind the coil and makes its final way to the starter. Right where it starts to drop down behind the coil, there was a rubbed through wire that was making contact with the block and arcing. I removed the old sheathing, repaired the wire and taped everything back up.

I must have damaged it or pinched it when I replaced the timing cover a month back. I suppose it just got too close to block and started rubbing through over the course of a month driving.

 

Oh ****! This morning on the way to work, I went to change lanes and no turn signals again! :rant:

Yesterday I removed the air cleaner assembly to remove and replace the fuel filter. I'm beginning to think the issue was not broken wire in harness, but something touching the air cleaner assy itself. God this is frustrating.