Sound like a bad GEM?

stamp11127 said:

The one thing about pulling fuses and visually checking them is you don't know if the circuit is getting power. That is why it is better to test the fuses in place using a test light.

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But then you have to find a way to try and energise that circuit? That could be difficult when testing certain things.

certain fuses will have power at all times and other fuses will have power when the key is in the run or start position.

As stamp said "pulling fuses and visually checking them is you don't know if the circuit is getting power"

To give you an example Say your expy wont start and when you turn the key you hear nothing. You think the battery may be the cause.
Would you just look at the battery and say it looks good or would you test it?? Looks can be deceiving.
You can have all the good fuses in a circuit but unless you have power going into and out of the fuse nothing is going to work.

The best way to check a fuse is by checking voltage in and out with a volt meter. That not only will prove a fuse is good but will also show that you have the proper voltage.

The next best way is to use a test light. That will show voltage is present but will not give what the voltage is.

Check the following links they me help you

http://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/fuse-testing-101.24587/

http://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/your-battery-keeps-going-dead-the-parasitic-draw-test.24600/

Well it's at the shop now. I suspected a bad alternator before I went and the shop confirmed it. They will be checking out the 4 wheel drive once the alt is fixed. 342 dollars deep so far.

Well the exp has been to the shop, battery issue was the alternator. The 4x4 is a bad actuator. Or "electric motor that controls the transfer case" as they described it. Thats what they suspect at least. Vaccumm lines look good. Im coughing up 280 for them to replace the actuator so I hope that will get the 4x4 up and running. Now I just need to fix that damn exhaust leak and replace the rotors and get the AC fixed and she will be as good as new.

Glad your getting the shop to fix it for you and spending your money.

You came on this forum with the idea, "Sound like a bad GEM?"

you were offered help but it appears that you really didn't want help since you went to the shop to get it fixed.

Had you taken the time to listen to the help that was offered it would have been a simple test to determine you had a bad alternator and may have saved you some money to change it yourself.

But one thing I noticed is that so far your problems haven't been with the gem as you thought they were.

This seems to be the norm now, if it isn't a quick fix without using tools, they take it to the shop. Oh well...

stamp11127 said:

This seems to be the norm now, if it isn't a quick fix without using tools, they take it to the shop. Oh well...

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Totally agree. Makes you wonder why they even ask for help.