Engine Fuse Box - How to lift? How to get under it?

[napkin]

Question from a Long Time Lurker:

Has anyone needed to lift the Engine Fuse Box to view/gain access to the under side of the fuse/relay circuits?
If so, how? the harness coming from the fire wall dose not allow me to lift if up more than 1".
I am a 2008.5 Speed3. But would apply to all Gen 1 (2007, 2008, 2009) Mazda3 or Speed3.

Reason:
My 15A cabin fuse is blowing. Believe due to a bad wire or connection. Believe the underside of the fuse insert is corroded and rusted.
I can see visually the wire is green with corrosions and the contacts for the fuse are corroded.
Cannot clean the connections without access to the bottom of the panel.

[napkin]

I removed the complete air box and I am able to look under the Engine Fuse Box.
I did not remove the wire harness tape or zip ties holding it in place, so the box can only be lifted about 1".
Using a mirror I was able to see up at the bottom side of the ROOM fuse (fuse 31 in user manual) and fuse 30, 24, 21 and 22.

One side of each of the fuse holders is common with one copper trace (bus).
The other side of each of the fuse holders is a wire that goes out to the harness.

The common bus is completly GONE under the 31 fuse.
It rusted to nothing. Just a glob of green dust.
I shot some contact clearner down and around these fuse holders.
Once the the green dust was all gone, I can see that there is no common connection under fuse 31 and fuse 30 is next to go.

When it was at the dealers earlier in the week they had two options from them.
Complete new firewall harness and new fuse/relay box: ~$4,500.
Or
New fuse/relay box and a buch of labour to wire it in: ~1,300.
Neither of these are options for me right now.

I am going to some more research and brain storm some ideas tonight.

Any one interested in photos?

[Jackal]

I removed the complete air box and I am able to look under the Engine Fuse Box.
I did not remove the wire harness tape or zip ties holding it in place, so the box can only be lifted about 1".
Using a mirror I was able to see up at the bottom side of the ROOM fuse (fuse 31 in user manual) and fuse 30, 24, 21 and 22.

One side of each of the fuse holders is common with one copper trace (bus).
The other side of each of the fuse holders is a wire that goes out to the harness.

The common bus is completly GONE under the 31 fuse.
It rusted to nothing. Just a glob of green dust.
I shot some contact clearner down and around these fuse holders.
Once the the green dust was all gone, I can see that there is no common connection under fuse 31 and fuse 30 is next to go.

When it was at the dealers earlier in the week they had two options from them.
Complete new firewall harness and new fuse/relay box: ~$4,500.
Or
New fuse/relay box and a buch of labour to wire it in: ~1,300.
Neither of these are options for me right now.

I am going to some more research and brain storm some ideas tonight.

Any one interested in photos?

Who doesn't like a pic or two. Bring them on.
Hopefully you can figure it out with some help from members that have some knowledge about this and save a bundle. Good luck!

[napkin]

I am done outside tonight. I will take some snaps tommorow.

Does anyone know how to lift the white part of the fuse board?
The white (cream) colour board seen in this pic?
Photo from http://www.mazda3forums.com/showpost.php?p=7537025&postcount=7
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v211/chrisvidecak/Other/Cars/Mazda3/IMG_0914.jpg