Damaged fuse block

[sk47]

First image is fuse block before anything removed. Second image is bottom of fuse block

Third image is with some wires cut.

Hello; First i get this is not a Ford. But many of you are good mechanics. Ignore if talking Cevy bothers you. I have a 2004 Silverado WT with the 4.8 V-8. It is 4x4. About 65,000 miles. Regular cab with 8 foot bed. I have a problem and have identified the problem. Seems a rodent made a nest inside the cover of the fuse block in the engine compartment. It is the main fuse block on the drivers side. The wires are shorted out. Not sure if the wires were chewed but do know there was urine and feces all over the tops of the fuses. I could smell the burned wires/plastic as i approached the truck this morning. My first guess is the urine itself got down into the fuses and shorted them out. Second guess is wires were possibly chewed but the position of the damage makes me think the urine did it. Does not matter too much.at this point.

The damage is at the center section of the fuse block. The block itself is melted in one area. Some fuses were also melted. I got the cover and other part off and eventually removed the block itself. Most parts came off as they should but the wire harness plug in section in the middle was melted to the block itself. From underneath i found several damaged wires with the insulation melted away. I will try to load some pictures. There was sign the rodent got under the block as well.

I will need new fuse diagram. I may need a wiring diagram of the engine compartment.

That centrally located plug in was too damaged and i wound up having to cut the wires to remove the block from the truck. I took time and several pictures as I cut the wires. I will have to have the block itself and at least the one plug in part of the wire harness. I do not know if there is a better way to approach the repair. It occurs to me that maybe a partial or complete wire harness may be a way to go. I am open to suggestions. I also am curious if secondary damage may have happened.

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[sk47]

Hello; Found a replacement fuse block and a complete replacement engine wire harness at a local salvage yard. Started on the job of removing the truck harness yesterday.

The plan is to first find and release the many clips and other such hold downs along the harness and leave the damaged harness in place.
Did a visual inspection of the burned fuse block with the replacement. Counted the pins and gaps on the underside of the block and the two seem to match.
I plan to lay out the replacement harness on a table near the truck and compare the terminal ends to see if the replacement harness matches before pulling the burned one out. may use tape and a marker to label each attachment terminal to see if the replacement has the same ends as the one on the truck.

Found two sections of the truck harness that will be a pain to get at under the truck. Not sure what will have to be removed to get the old sections out and new in. I did not expect it to be easy.

One nagging concern is the potential for damage to the computers (engine control module maybe) when the wires shorted out. Guess i will find out.

 

[sk47]

Hello; Learned some things. I spent some hours tracing out the wiring of a harness and while it is tedious work I was finding and charting which wires went where and may have been able to splice the replacement harness and fuse block. But i do not have to.

A friend of my brother's suggested calling my insurance. I did and the damage is covered. Made arrangements today. It will be a couple weeks before my truck can be worked in. I did not know insurance would cover that sort of damage.
I have my house and vehicles at the same company. I carry full coverage on both vehicles even tho they are old.

 

[sk47]

Hello; had a new wrinkle happen yesterday. Went out to remove my personal junk from the truck for while it is in the shop. Saw a new bit of fiberglass on the pavement. Thought maybe the mice/rat were back.
Opened the hood and found a full grown racoon snoozing on top of the engine. The coon had torn out some of the padding from under the hood. What a mess.

I used a long stick to poke at the coon. At first it would just move to a different spot. After several pokes it climbed out of the truck. I chassed it off my property and under the fence into a field next door.

Been here thirteen years and now in just a couple weeks have had two incidents on the same truck.

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