70 charger starting and electrical issues

[fy469rtse]

Unplug those connectors at firewall or bulkhead, post photos of how it looks in there , clean up , die electric grease and reconnect
Oil leak , new cork gaskets to covers and reinstall

[70 sublime]

Is there a spark when the key is off and you hook up the battery
There should be none if key off and lights off and doors shut (dome light)

[Charger_70]

Ok thx guys for the help... I did a lil more investigating on it. The wire that is getting hot on me is the one that is spliced into the black wire the solid red 1 is the power. I checked around the push button it has one wire that runs from the button to the starter and another that goes to the starter relay then its also connected to the bulkhead. Im just not 100% certain what that black wire goes too. Ive checked more on the wiring in dash... still looks good almost looks new just the areas that didn't have no tape on it looks old

[Charger_70]

There is nothing when key is off just when key is on even if those wires are apart I don't even get anything from my coil it wont spark or nothing when I check it but if I put those wires together the coil sparks fine. I take the battery pos terminal off and no spark so nothing is on. only time the car has any kind of power is when I connect those wires

[nh_mopar_fan]

Save yourself the time and just go get a new wiring harness. Be safe. It's 40yr old wiring that someone has modified.

Been there, done that.

[Charger_70]

Im gonna look at it more tomorrow from what I can see the wires look ok except for 2 were they have spliced into them to make wires longer. Im gonna try to trace down the wire that is getting hot and see were it goes and go from there. Later im gonna get rid of that push button start and fix it were it starts by turning key and I believe that will get rid of some of the wires in engine bay that they coppled together. I would really just like to see were that 1 wire is goin and why it is getting hot and go from there. Ill let you guys know tomorrow if I find anything. Thanks for all the help

[Pete in NH]

As mentioned someone has replaced the fusible link with a plain piece of green wire and it looks like something spliced into the middle of it. These cars did not have a lot of protection in the electrical circuits. That fusible link was the main protection against major short circuits and a fire. Without that fusible link you're running a big risk of melted wiring harnesses and a fire. The fact that you are already seeing smoking wires tells me you are at the point of a fire. There may also be melted insulation in the wiring harness that you can't see under the tape and the circular corrugated wiring loom someone added. At the very least I would replace that green piece of wire with a 40 or 50 amp blade type fuse in a holder until you fix the wiring issues you have. I would buy plenty of spares because I think they will be blowing quite frequently.

People are recommending  new wiring harnesses because when the 40+ year old originals get into the state yours are it is very difficult to make them safe again. Many folks are giving you the benefit of their experience. If you're going to try and repair your present harnesses you will at least need a small test meter with an ohms scale. Do you have one? You need to track down the short circuits in the wiring.

[Charger_70]

As mentioned someone has replaced the fusible link with a plain piece of green wire and it looks like something spliced into the middle of it. These cars did not have a lot of protection in the electrical circuits. That fusible link was the main protection against major short circuits and a fire. Without that fusible link you're running a big risk of melted wiring harnesses and a fire. The fact that you are already seeing smoking wires tells me you are at the point of a fire. There may also be melted insulation in the wiring harness that you can't see under the tape and the circular corrugated wiring loom someone added. At the very least I would replace that green piece of wire with a 40 or 50 amp blade type fuse in a holder until you fix the wiring issues you have. I would buy plenty of spares because I think they will be blowing quite frequently.

People are recommending  new wiring harnesses because when the 40+ year old originals get into the state yours are it is very difficult to make them safe again. Many folks are giving you the benefit of their experience. If you're going to try and repair your present harnesses you will at least need a small test meter with an ohms scale. Do you have one? You need to track down the short circuits in the wiring.

I looked at the wiring diagram and saw the fuse. The green wire runs from bulk head then to starter relay and then runs to the push button start. On the wiring only 1 getting hot jus havent tracked it down  which i think it something that has been added by previous owner as far as the other wires so far so good. Im gonn try to get rid of there work and go from there.

[fy469rtse]

Some of your issues could be from engine bay harnesses, long before reproduction harnesses, I re-did mine one wire at a time, reason you won't mix any thing up , engine bay harness wires exposed to the elements , heat , fuels and oils , check the wires to those if they feel hard or brittle start with those,
But pay a lot of attention to the bulk head

[myk]

Save yourself the time and just go get a new wiring harness. Be safe. It's 40yr old wiring that someone has modified.

Been there, done that.

Yup-you'll chase your tail in circles trying to fix electrical gremlins.  Start fresh by rewiring the car; the safety and reliability of your car depend on it.  Look up Painless, EZ Wiring, or even Year One's factory correct but sky-high priced harnesses...

[Charger_70]

Hey sorry for taking so long... but im still tryin to figure a few things out. I found that my new  mechanical fuel pump was not working  so im getting another 1. The wires that got to my headlights and wipers ect turned out fine but still not figured out the 1 wire that gets hot i checked to see if there was any power to it by itself and it has none but the other wire does. When i connect them it powers up the whole car i can use my headlights ect but when there apart nothing works. If i hold them together though real tight and try to start the car it will not start but if i hold them and jus barley touch them together were they will arc the car starts up each time. Same with coil if i hold the wires tight the coil wont spark but if i hold them just were they will arc then the coil will spark.

[Charger_70]

I also did some checking for power through a lot of wires around engine. I checked the wires going to my alternator and all 3 shows power ... not sure if this is normal jus checking.

[b5blue]

Tip for ya, all the wires have colors that correspond to where they go and what they do. Some have a tracer, a stripe along the side in a contrasting color. If you tell us the color and tracer (If it has one.) we can better help you sort this out.
The bulkhead has each slot on all three plugs alphabetized on schematics so even if you do not have a wiring diagram you can find it online and that will help also.     

[fy469rtse]

With your mechanical pump, it might not be the pump itself , replace the push rod inside block with new moroso one , they loose length after many years of service , and being shorter dont depress fuel pump arm properly, partial pumping

[Charger_70]

On the alternator the wires are blue, green, and black all 3 have power. The wires in dash are red and black i dont understand why i have to make them arc to get it to start?

[b5blue]

Blue/Green go to regulator Black is alt output. Red and black look to be added from red and black from harness? (under dash pics you posted.) Correct?
  Looks like the factory ALT gauge was disconnected and big wire added to run to an AMP gauge? (If so that was never correct thinking.)
With the red and black NOT connected what still works A: with key off and B: with key on?
Have you checked the main feed from Alt output THROUGH the bulkhead connectors? (You must remove the plug and look for melting and overheat/burn.)

[Charger_70]

Blue/Green go to regulator Black is alt output. Red and black look to be added from red and black from harness? (under dash pics you posted.) Correct?
  Looks like the factory ALT gauge was disconnected and big wire added to run to an AMP gauge? (If so that was never correct thinking.)
With the red and black NOT connected what still works A: with key off and B: with key on?
Have you checked the main feed from Alt output THROUGH the bulkhead connectors? (You must remove the plug and look for melting and overheat/burn.)

If wires aint connected nothing with key on or off not even that small click noise when you turn key. On bulkhead there is one place were it has burned and someone has put a green wire to it and the green wire goes from bulkhead to starter relay to starter then to the push button that is in car to start it. The alternator having power on all 3 wires ok?

[crj1968]

If i hold them together though real tight and try to start the car it will not start but if i hold them and jus barley touch them together were they will arc the car starts up each time. Same with coil if i hold the wires tight the coil wont spark but if i hold them just were they will arc then the coil will spark.

Weird!

Ballast resistor bypassed?

[b5blue]

Blue/Green go to regulator Black is alt output. Red and black look to be added from red and black from harness? (under dash pics you posted.) Correct?
  Looks like the factory ALT gauge was disconnected and big wire added to run to an AMP gauge? (If so that was never correct thinking.)
With the red and black NOT connected what still works A: with key off and B: with key on?
Have you checked the main feed from Alt output THROUGH the bulkhead connectors? (You must remove the plug and look for melting and overheat/burn.)

If wires aint connected nothing with key on or off not even that small click noise when you turn key. On bulkhead there is one place were it has burned and someone has put a green wire to it and the green wire goes from bulkhead to starter relay to starter then to the push button that is in car to start it. The alternator having power on all 3 wires ok?

The alt/voltage reg. isn't the problem, the mods to start/run are. What ignition system is it? Points or something else?

[Charger_70]

Blue/Green go to regulator Black is alt output. Red and black look to be added from red and black from harness? (under dash pics you posted.) Correct?
  Looks like the factory ALT gauge was disconnected and big wire added to run to an AMP gauge? (If so that was never correct thinking.)
With the red and black NOT connected what still works A: with key off and B: with key on?
Have you checked the main feed from Alt output THROUGH the bulkhead connectors? (You must remove the plug and look for melting and overheat/burn.)

If wires aint connected nothing with key on or off not even that small click noise when you turn key. On bulkhead there is one place were it has burned and someone has put a green wire to it and the green wire goes from bulkhead to starter relay to starter then to the push button that is in car to start it. The alternator having power on all 3 wires ok?

The alt/voltage reg. isn't the problem, the mods to start/run are. What ignition system is it? Points or something else?Its electronic

[Charger_70]

Its electronic ... The ballist resistor still there put a new 1 ... I checked wires goin to it and they have power goin to it

[b5blue]

The car should be wired that "starting" (while cranking) the coil gets full 12V and "run" switches it to feed the coil through the resistor.  That gives a hotter spark starting then drops the power to the coil so it will not overheat and burn up.
From the factory a yellow wire on the start relay supplies 12V to energize that relay. A brown with tracer comes up from the neutral safety switch and that is the ground supply for the relay. (The 2 blades on the bottom of the relay.)
I'm thinking the large black and red wires under the dash were a patch from the ALT gauge getting toasted from bad bulkhead connection. The extra start switch could be added due to ether ignition switch or neutral safety switch failing.

[Charger_70]

The car should be wired that "starting" (while cranking) the coil gets full 12V and "run" switches it to feed the coil through the resistor.  That gives a hotter spark starting then drops the power to the coil so it will not overheat and burn up.
From the factory a yellow wire on the start relay supplies 12V to energize that relay. A brown with tracer comes up from the neutral safety switch and that is the ground supply for the relay. (The 2 blades on the bottom of the relay.)
I'm thinking the large black and red wires under the dash were a patch from the ALT gauge getting toasted from bad bulkhead connection. The extra start switch could be added due to ether ignition switch or neutral safety switch failing.

There was an aftermarket volt gauge in there

[Charger_70]

Is it not getting enough volts to start and when i arc the wires mabey sending a surge?

[Charger_70]

To try to start i have to turn key over but it wont crank ... i just turn the key and let it go and push the button.