Did they ever use a wire style fuse for the glow plug relay?
 

Having my buddy look at the 81 300SD I bought and snooping around to see if the no start is something obvious like the relay fuse. He describes the fuse itself as a wire but say it looks like an OEM setup. I have only seen the "wire" replacment fuses as in half assed shade tree mechanic wire fuse, all the others have all been the flat metal fuses.

If in fact it is a piece of wire, can it carry to much current? and what are the ramifications to the g-plugs or other components in that loop if they are getting to much juice?

Thoughts?

Thank you mods!

It could be just a poor description on his part.

Since the metal alloy and thickness or width of a fuse are calculated to metl at a certain piont I would suspect that a wire of unknown alloy and size would be a good choice.

If for some reason one companies wire did work like it was supposed to using another companies wire might not work due to a different alloy.

The other alternatives of adapting another type of 80 amp Fuse (I found out they use them on sound system Amplifiers) by wiring on an add on Fuse Holder or the same could be done with a Circuit Breaker are more expensive than just buying an extra Strip Fuse with your next order of Oil Filters or other parts.

I've never seen anything but the flat metal type.

they are cheeeep even @ the stealership. not worth meting down your wiring harness over. but if you're stranded in the woods, then maybe some speaker wire will do the trick- only to the parts house, though.

What I ment is that if you really wanted 2 you could get a Fuse Holder and wire it to the Relay with some crimp on Eye ends on the wire for the Relay Screws to go through. They more commonly have the Fuse Holders for the Blade type Fuses.
You could do the same with a Circuit Breaker.

Neither time or expense is warranted to do the above. An 80 amp blade type Fuse is close to $5 each; a fuse Holder that can take the amperage $15 or more and a 12 volt 80 amp Curcit Breaker is $30 or more.

Way easier and cheaper just to get some extra flat metal ones.

I have a whole new relay to put into the car. The wire is what is in it now. I am thinking that its possible it carried to much current and damaged something down stream, like maybe cooked off one of the plugs.

P.O.s and their "Wrench Turners"
 

Are the Bain of these fine Germanic Engineering automobiles.

'Was NEVER a "Wire" fuse Always Aluminum alloy (Flat Bladed) strip fuse!
[These are "Slow Blow" type due to the initial up-ramp of amps at glow start]

EDIT: The damn Fool P.O is lucky he didn't experience an underhood Bar-B-Que!

I keep spare fuses with me.

That includes the standard 8A, 16A and 25A (for the 201/124) fuses, GP relay fuse and 1A aux water pump fuse (thanks to DeliveryValve for the fuse link - I was able to also find 1A fuses).