Connection melted at firewall

[nrt69]

For some reason I can't post a pic...
If you're looking from the engine bay at the middle section of the firewall harness. The lower left slot has completely blown out and melted. Other than replacing the entire harness, could I jump that connection with a new wire to get the car running again?

[nrt69]

Pic attached

[metallicareload99]

I don't have a service manual in front of me, but I bet that's the alternator feed.  I drilled a hole in the bulkhead connector and removed that pin, soldering the wires together all the way through on my 68

[John_Kunkel]

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

[Nacho-RT74]

all these years warning the ppl about this issue, how to be one step forward reading your ammeter, how to upgrade or make mantenience and still it happens

depending on what exactly want to do, rebuilt and read the stickied thread on here about the charging parallel paths, upgrade your alt... understand wht it means your ammeter reading

[nrt69]

I have read about it and I bypassed the ammeter many years ago even though it was already starting to melt there. I do my best to repair the car but I'm not an expert.

Does anyone sell that part new?

[Nacho-RT74]

thats because everybody blames the ammeter which is not the guilty on this. This is part of the myths LOL. The real problem is the lack of power coming from alt

the bulkhead is available new at lot of places but I would to Megapartsusa.com. Nice guys to deal with.

[John_Kunkel]

The ammeter, itself, isn't the problem but the existence of the ammeter circuit is. (along with the bulkhead connector)

[nrt69]

Will the wires behind the bulkhead unplug easily or do I need a tool to swap them over to the new one?

[nrt69]

If the two wires were still making contact with each other at that melted location, why would the car run rough and stall?

[metallicareload99]

If the two wires were still making contact with each other at that melted location, why would the car run rough and stall?

If you haven't modified the stock wiring, most of the electricity the car needs should be coming through that connector. If that connection got charred up enough to not work it should be able to run off the battery. I meant to ask before, did anything short out?

Normally the terminals are removable with a thin flat screwdriver for the female terminals and thin needle nose pliers for the male terminals, but they'll be coming out in pieces if the plastic is really melted/burnt.

[nrt69]

Thee wiring was modified in the past for an electronic conversation kit. Now it has an eCurve distro, adjustable voltage regulator, and a relay to help the eCurve fire the car up. (My understanding is that it needs more volts to run it)

[Nacho-RT74]

I can't talk from the distance without know all the mods made to the wiring... sooo i just will keep an eye on the thread to find some answer at some reply.

I allways tend to get the parts to original setup then start from there.

[Nacho-RT74]

Normally the terminals are removable with a thin flat screwdriver for the female terminals and thin needle nose pliers for the male terminals, but they'll be coming out in pieces if the plastic is really melted/burnt.

And this is the spring tab on female terminals which needs to be bent down from the front of the plug to pull out the terminal from back

[nrt69]

Let's see if these photos are readable...

[nrt69]

More...

[nrt69]

I got a new bulkhead connector. Would you recommend replacing it or just running a hard wire through the melted area?

[metallicareload99]

Is that your car in the article? Awesome! I couldn't really read it.

Personally, I'd run a hard wire through it, though I'm not sure how big of wire you could run through it without "ruining" the connector?  I'm in the same boat as you, same burnt spot (mines worse actually) and I have all new engine side connectors, terminals, and all new dash harness already.  But I don't want to hack up the new stuff, so I'm making due cobbling together the old/burnt parts. I think having the hard wire go through eliminates a big problem area at the bulkhead connector

[nrt69]

Is that your car in the article? Awesome! I couldn't really read it.

Personally, I'd run a hard wire through it, though I'm not sure how big of wire you could run through it without "ruining" the connector?  I'm in the same boat as you, same burnt spot (mines worse actually) and I have all new engine side connectors, terminals, and all new dash harness already.  But I don't want to hack up the new stuff, so I'm making due cobbling together the old/burnt parts. I think having the hard wire go through eliminates a big problem area at the bulkhead connector

Yep. Hotrod mag.
I figure a new bulkhead connector will do the same thing.

[70 sublime]

Might save you some grief later on if you do the head light relay set up so not so much power is going through that one hot wire at the firewall if you drive any with the head lights on

[metallicareload99]

Is that your car in the article? Awesome! I couldn't really read it.

Personally, I'd run a hard wire through it, though I'm not sure how big of wire you could run through it without "ruining" the connector?  I'm in the same boat as you, same burnt spot (mines worse actually) and I have all new engine side connectors, terminals, and all new dash harness already.  But I don't want to hack up the new stuff, so I'm making due cobbling together the old/burnt parts. I think having the hard wire go through eliminates a big problem area at the bulkhead connector

Yep. Hotrod mag.
I figure a new bulkhead connector will do the same thing.

That is awesome! As far as the bulkhead connector, I agree 100%. Your car is modified so I can't imagine a heavy gauge wire ran to the battery or at least to the starter relay would be an issue 

Might save you some grief later on if you do the head light relay set up so not so much power is going through that one hot wire at the firewall if you drive any with the head lights on

the less current going in through the bulkhead connector is that much less current going out through the bulkhead connector and your headlights'll work better

[nrt69]

Ok I ran a temporary hardwire through that melted hole (crimped connector vs soldered connection) and it's doing the same thing. Won't stay running. When I fire it up I have to keep my foot on the gas and try to hold the rpm's. They drop and it loses power slowly and dies.
Could something else be fd up in the electrical system?

[b5blue]

  Be certain your battery is in perfect condition and 100% charged. What you describe could happen from poor/low idle output from the ALT. and a battery partially discharged. (Roasted blue wire.) I've not a clue of what your modifications did/effect/do. 

[nrt69]

Since my last post the problem is intermittent. It runs fine. Then it doesn't.
Battery fluctuates a lot but is around 12.7
Alternator fluctuates a lot but consistent between 13-15.

[nvrbdn]

I have a 70 Duster that would start and drive, then all of a sudden it would just die. I thought it was the hot wire through the bulkhead connector like it was on my Charger. Well, it turned out to be the starter relay wasn't grounded properly. once I grounded it, the problem ended.

[nrt69]

I'll try all the grounds, thnx!

[nrt69]

Ok I'm sure I still have plenty of electrical gremlins to figure out but turns out that wasn't my problem. At least not THE main problem.
It was......a friggin vacuum leak at the back of the manifold. The rubber nipple I had capped off apparently fell off. 

[b5blue]

 

[Sendero]

My ammeter melted last year yet the bulkhead disconnect was not burnt which was odd. I was running on a year-old Power Master alternator and battery when the smoked dash event occurred.

I did apply a good amount of dielectric grease to the bulkhead disconnect terminals some years prior  which may be the reason why the bulkhead disconnect may have not burnt.

Just wrapping up the dash wiring now and I will be doing the bypass of the ammeter tactic and the direct feed of the battery from the alternator via the Starter Solenoid terminal.

And I will do the Bosch headlight relay to take more amps away for the dash.

A question: Did the 1970 Charger use a headlamp delay relay given the hideaway doors? If so, where does the relay mount?

[metallicareload99]

My ammeter melted last year yet the bulkhead disconnect was not burnt which was odd. I was running on a year-old Power Master alternator and battery when the smoked dash event occurred.

I did apply a good amount of dielectric grease to the bulkhead disconnect terminals some years prior  which may be the reason why the bulkhead disconnect may have not burnt.

Just wrapping up the dash wiring now and I will be doing the bypass of the ammeter tactic and the direct feed of the battery from the alternator via the Starter Solenoid terminal.

And I will do the Bosch headlight relay to take more amps away for the dash.

A question: Did the 1970 Charger use a headlamp delay relay given the hideaway doors? If so, where does the relay mount?

The ammeter can short out between it's terminals and the gauge itself.  The insulation seems to be only cardboard